Earlier this year, Macallan launched a sparkly new line of limited edition whiskies called… The Edition Series, helpfully. Starting with the Edition No. 1, it was styled as Macallan’s attempt to show off its wood selection-and-management muscle.

This “discerning”, “master-of-the-craft” marketing gimmick is of course combined with a higher-than-normal ABV to get consumers to cough up for an untested, expensive NAS whisky. But in their defence, the Edition Series throws in a really healthy dose of transparency – each bottle has some welcome cask information right on the box.

I never had the opportunity to try the Edition No. 1, but was lucky enough to receive a (very) generous pour of the newly launched Edition No. 2 during a whisky tasting event. Seconds later, I knew I had to start making notes:

• Colour:

Dark red tinged with burnt orange, like the colour of the box it comes in.

• Nose:

Oh lordy lordy lord. RICH. Intense. And very fruity. Piles of sherry, but spicy and citrusy and salty… Not a sherry monster, but a blend beast. Glazed oranges. Mince pies – honestly, like fresh mince pies.

• Taste:

Grapefruit. Sherry. Spices. Something meaty – barbeque, spare ribs. Salt and pepper. Apricots. And those mince pies again – raisins, apples, ginger. Finally a buttery, bready taste at the back. Absolutely stunning. The finish is endless… and bursting with oranges. Bitter and sour.

Conclusions:

My general Macallan skepticism has been shattered. I’m eating my words. Macallan can really make an absolutely fantastic, magical, exceptional whisky – and it’s called Edition No. 2. Good grief.

The only really bad thing I can say about it is there aren’t enough of these bottles to go around… which of course also means it comes at a pretty serious cost. However, at around the price of a typical 18-year-old single malt it isn’t out-of-the-question – not “everyday dram” territory, but certainly a special treat. Get some!