🥃 The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old
18-year-old single malt Scotch from Macallan in the Sherry Oak range; 43% ABV; Spanish oak seasoned with oloroso sherry.
The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old is an 18-year-old single malt whisky from Speyside, 43% ABV. According to Difford's Guide, it is matured in Spanish oak that previously held oloroso sherry. It is an older, stronger and more mature expression of the Sherry Oak line than the 12-year-old.
Whiskypedia explains that Macallan favours mainly 500-litre sherry casks, while the special casks are made by the cooper Tevasa in Jerez, who sets the type and duration of seasoning. Difford's Guide stresses that, under the brand's rules, the colour is not adjusted: it comes from the cask alone. The age field in the directory is empty, although the name says 18 years.
Why this matters to you. The 18-year-old Sherry Oak shows how a long sherry maturation changes the same distillate compared with the 12-year-old. 43% ABV is higher than the standard 40%, so compare the labels carefully. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (Single Malt Scotch Whisky) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | malted barley |
| Cask type | Spanish oak previously seasoned with oloroso sherry |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; this expression is 18 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 43% ABV |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 The Macallan, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old, 🥃 The Macallan Double Cask 18 Years Old, 🥃 The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old, 🥃 The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old, 🥃 The Macallan Double Cask 18 Years Old, 🥃 The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old, 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 The Glenrothes 18 Year Old
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Sherry Oak 18 is 43% ABV?
Yes. According to Difford's Guide it is 43% ABV, while the 12-year-old Sherry Oak is 40%, according to The Whiskey Wash.
In what casks is Sherry Oak 18 matured?
In Spanish oak that previously held oloroso sherry, according to Difford's Guide.
Is colouring added?
According to Difford's Guide, no. Macallan does not colour its whisky with caramel.
What to read next
- 🥃 The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old — 12-year-old single malt Scotch from Macallan Double Cask; 40% ABV; European and American oak seasoned with sherry.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Glenfiddich — Distillery and brand of single malt scotch in Dufftown (Speyside), founded in 1886; owned by the family firm William Grant & Sons; the 12-year-old is 40% ABV.
Similar
🥃 The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old · 🥃 The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old · 🥃 The Macallan Double Cask 18 Years Old · 🥃 Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Small Batch Reserve · 🥃 Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera · 🥃 The Glenrothes 15 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old (43 %; Spanish oak casks previously seasoned with Oloroso sherry)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Macallan (predominantly 500 l ex-sherry casks; Oloroso seasoning with Jerez cooper Tevasa; no colour adjustment)
- Difford's Guide: The Macallan Distillery (Easter Elchies, Craigellachie, 1824, Edrington; sherry casks, dry Oloroso favoured; no caramel colouring)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)