2024 marks the 18th anniversary of La Maison du Whisky Singapore, quite a milestone for this wonderful French boutique that remains one of the foremost specialists in the world of spirits. To celebrate this occasion, the team selected four unique bottlings that I had the privilege to taste, and bought myself a couple of these bottles too.

The first of the four is Gordon & MacPhail’s Speymalt from the Macallan Distillery, a single cask #21603904 that was filled into a first-fill, ex-sherry cask on the 5th of August 1998, and bottled 24 years later on the 14th of April 2023 at 54.1% abv and an outturn of 326 bottles. For those unfamiliar, G&M is one of the very few, or perhaps the only independent bottler whom has a very special relationship with Macallan, allowing G&M to purchase its new-make, filling it into its own casks, and managing the entire maturation process in its own storehouses.

On the nose, it was remarkable how similar it was to a rhum agricole, succulent, juicy, with an almost Play-Doh-like sweetness that enveloped the senses. It was closely followed with a balanced mix of mint and herbals, and if I may say so, some similarity to a sweet rubbing ointment of sorts. There were layers of sweetness to speak of too, beginning with rose syrup, the vanilla essence you find in marshmallows, and then ending with a hint of unmistakable savouriness from that sherry cask, paired with what seemed like a sprig of thyme.

The palate was much more familiar, more whisky-like, with those classic notes of Speyside, hay and honey sweetness, golden sultanas, and a nice, syrupy texture. I wouldn’t describe the palate as hugely complex, and I rather liked the simplicity of it all, not being over-sherried, which is quite often the case in sherry-casked whiskies that are abound today. The finish was soft and warm, carrying with it those savoury notes of sherry, red raisins, and the sweetness of dried prunes that linger on.

It is the kind of dram you could imagine sipping on by the fire, during the middle of winter, soft, pleasant, and easy all around. A relaxing whisky made for sharing with family and friends, and ushering in the Christmas season.

Your occasional rum addict!

@weixiang_liu