Have you ever wondered what 1920s Macallan tastes like? Or perhaps you are curious about what makes the Loch Dhu 10 Year Old The Black Whisky the worst whisky in the world?
Buying rare and expensive whiskies to drink is an opportunity that is usually only open to high-net-worth individuals. However, now you can try a dram of some of the oldest Macallan on the market, and find out what all the Loch Dhu fuss is about thanks to our latest releases.
The Macallan-Glenlivet 22 Year Old Liqueur Whisky 10ml Dram – £100
Buy Macallan-Glenlivet 22 Year Old Liqueur Whisky: £100/10ml dram
This Macallan-Glenlivet 22 Year Old Liqueur Whisky was bottled by Row & Company Distillers Limited in the 1940s for the American market. As such, the importation of this whisky liqueur into the USA followed the Prohibition, the Wall Street Crash, the Great Depression, and World War II.
The bottle is extremely rare. However, one was put up for auction at Bonhams in 2022 at an estimate of £6,000-£9,000.
Given the bottling date has been confirmed as some time in the 1940s, the whisky in this bottle was distilled at Macallan during the 1920s, in the same era as the distillation of the legendary Macallan 1926 60 Year Old.
This is one of the oldest Macallans ever released to the market. Mark Littler Ltd has broken down the liquid into 10ml for the enjoyment of any whisky lover who longs to try the whisky of old.
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Angus MacRaild, the famed WhiskyFun reviewer, was impressed with how well this Macallan has held up over the many decades in bottle, saying “you can’t help but be left wondering at how this has evolved in bottle, the peat and the sugar-derived flavours in particular feel like they are the result of decades of very slow sub-division”. Angus awards the whisky an astonishing 93 points.
When you try your own dram of this stunning Macallan-Glenlivet 22 Year Old Liqueur Whisky, you might taste hints of cocktail bitters, eucalyptus, and herbal syrups. On the long finish, expect crystalised honey, saltiness, and old-school sherry.
Given the reduced fill level of the bottle upon arrival at Mark Littler Ltd, these drams are extremely limited in numbers, with only 30 available. Complete with a tasting note card from Angus MacRaild, the Macallan-Glenlivet 22 Year Old Liqueur Whisky 10ml is available now on the Mark Littler Shop.
Buy Loch Dhu The Black Whisky 10 Year Old: £15/10ml
The Loch Dhu 10 Year Old The Black Whisky is a polarising dram. Its deep black colour, which is caused by extremely large amounts of spirit caramel, has made this bottle something of a collector’s item.
The tasting reviews for this bottle vary widely online, with some hailing the whisky as “caramel smooth” and some distinctly commenting on the flavour of burnt caramel. Either way, we know that caramel is present.
Serge Valentin, also of WhiskyFun, awarded the Loch Dhu 49 points on his last tasting in December 2004, saying “the nose is somewhat interesting, but the palate is catastrophic, really”.
Not only does the whisky have some extreme reviews, it also sits at the forefront of the long-running industry debate around the use of spirit caramel. Spirit caramel, also known as E150a, is a supposedly tasteless liquid used to alter the colour of whisky. It is most often used by blenders to achieve colour consistency across products. In small quantities, it does not have an effect on the taste of whisky, but in large quantities, some argue that it can alter the taste and mouthfeel of a whisky.
As such, the debate is split between whisky purists, who believe that no additives should be added to whisky, and E150a defenders, who argue that additives have always been a bit part of the whisky industry (such as paxarette) and that spirit caramel is useful to encourage brand familiarity and loyalty.
If you are interested in the history of spirit caramel, watch our YouTube video below.
So, the question is, on which side of the debate do you stand? The Loch Dhu is, of course, a very extreme example of spirit caramel usage and is not representative of all usage in the industry. However, it does offer an insight into what such extreme usage can do.
If you are curious as to what the Loch Dhu really tastes like, you can buy yourself a dram now on the Mark Littler Shop., complete with a tasting note card from Serge and complimentary Tic Tacs…just in case.
Please email us at [email protected] and let us know your thoughts. Is the Loch Dhu 10 Year Old The Black Whisky really as bad as they say?