Macallan Time Space Sherry Cask Edition Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 44,8%

A decanter with a hole in the middle and whisky all the way round. Macallan has drawn time as a circle with no start and no end, and in this chapter it is Jerez de la Frontera holding the pen. The casks come from the sherry town. The whisky, twenty years in the waiting, comes from the Macallan Estate.

Expert's Description

Macallan TIME : SPACE Sherry Cask 20 year is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry-seasoned oak casks and bottled at 44.8%.

This is the third chapter in the TIME : SPACE Collection, following the two releases that marked Macallan's 200th anniversary, TIME : SPACE and TIME : SPACE Mastery. This time the cask is the main character.

The whisky began life on the Macallan Estate in a selection of predominantly European oak casks that had held sherry, hand-picked by Macallan's Whisky Mastery Team. After all those years it was married in a selection of the very first 200 casks seasoned in Macallan's own Valdespino bodega in Jerez de la Frontera. The casks were built in Macallan's own cooperages in Jerez and shipped to Scotland, where they were filled in 2024, the anniversary year. Most are still quietly maturing whisky for future releases. Only a small handful were allowed to give this twenty-year-old a second chapter of sherry influence.

That makes it the first Macallan influenced by casks seasoned with Valdespino sherry since Macallan took over Valdespino. It is also the first time Valdespino sherry has been used to season oak casks for Macallan. Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker, stands behind the release, and the colour is entirely natural, taken from the wood alone.

The bottle is the collection's familiar circular decanter. The box takes its shape from the palomino grapes grown in Valdespino's vineyards, and its warm golden hue is meant to recall the Andalusian sun.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sherry-soaked raisins, figs and medjool dates, with sweet frangipane, cinder toffee and caramelised nuts. Dark chocolate truffles, cinnamon, star anise and ginger lay a foundation under it all.

Palate

Rich and layered. Sultanas, dates and apricots meet sticky ginger cake, treacle toffee, bramble jam and chocolate-coated cherries. Cloves and cinnamon sticks build warmth, before cocoa nibs and polished oak take over.

Finish

Warming wood spices, a hint of espresso and waves of gentle oak.

Specifications

Name: Macallan TIME : SPACE Sherry Cask 20 year
Distillery: Macallan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 year
ABV: 44.8%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Predominantly European sherry-seasoned oak casks, married in the first casks seasoned with Valdespino sherry
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: TIME : SPACE Collection, chapter three

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Dried fruit · Spicy · Chocolate · Full-bodied

Investment Potential

High. Macallan is one of the most traded names at auction, and this is a collection release in a distinctive circular design that is also the first whisky influenced by Valdespino casks. Collectors remember a first like that.

Did you know?

For the launch, Macallan released the documentary Mastery Beyond Reason, narrated by photographer Steve McCurry. Sommelier Josep Roca features in it, and the film follows the oak from the forests of the USA and Northern Spain through Macallan's own sawmills and cooperages to the bodega in Jerez.

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Frequently asked questions about Macallan TIME : SPACE Sherry Cask 20 year

What makes Macallan TIME : SPACE Sherry Cask 20 year special?

It is the first Macallan influenced by casks seasoned with Valdespino sherry since Macallan took over the Jerez bodega. The whisky is twenty years old, comes in the collection's circular decanter and was married in a selection of the first 200 Valdespino casks.

Is Macallan TIME : SPACE Sherry Cask 20 year worth the money?

For the collector and the sherry lover, yes. You get a twenty-year-old Macallan with two chapters of sherry influence, a release that marks a shift in how Macallan sources its casks, and a bottle from a collection that already has a solid reputation among collectors.

What is Valdespino, and why does it matter here?

Valdespino is a historic sherry house in Jerez de la Frontera, now owned by Macallan. That means Macallan controls everything from the oak and the cooper to the sherry seasoning, and this bottle is the first where that chain shows up in the glass.

What does Macallan TIME : SPACE Sherry Cask 20 year taste like?

Rich and full-bodied, with dried fruit, treacle toffee, ginger cake and dark chocolate. The sherry brings sweetness and depth, while the oak adds spice, cocoa and a hint of espresso in the long finish.

Should it be drunk with ice or neat?

Neat, or with a few drops of water. Ice mutes the layered notes of fruit, spice and chocolate that are the bottle's strength.

Which glass suits Macallan TIME : SPACE Sherry Cask 20 year best?

A narrow whisky glass such as a Glencairn gathers the aromas, so figs, ginger and chocolate can be told apart. See our selection of whisky glasses.

Is it a good gift?

Yes, for a collector or a friend with deep respect for Macallan. The circular decanter and the golden box make an impression before the stopper is even out.