Macallan: Sir Peter Blake - An Estate, A Community and A Distillery Speyside Whisky

Mei-Lin Wu — Good, not great for the money

7/10

Had this at a tasting event and went in with high expectations. Nose is lovely — orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla — but the palate didn't wow me the way I hoped. It's a solid single malt at 47.7% with decent complexity, but I've had standard Macallan 18 that impressed me more. The art concept is cool though, I'll give it that.

Victor Osei — Good, not great for the money

7/10

Had this at a tasting event and went in with high expectations. Nose is lovely — orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla — but the palate didn't wow me the way I hoped. It's a solid single malt at 47.7% with decent complexity, but I've had standard Macallan 18 that impressed me more. The art concept is cool though, I'll give it that.

Zara Al-Hassan — Good, not great for the money

7/10

Had this at a tasting event and went in with high expectations. Nose is lovely — orange peel, cinnamon, vanilla — but the palate didn't wow me the way I hoped. It's a solid single malt at 47.7% with decent complexity, but I've had standard Macallan 18 that impressed me more. The art concept is cool though, I'll give it that.

Benjamin Ross — Speyside at its finest

9/10

My mate brought this round and we split a few drams neat over the evening. Immediately you get this gorgeous Christmas cake nose, then toffee and candied orange on the palate with gentle wood spice. The 47.7% ABV is a sweet spot — enough kick to carry the flavours without needing water. One of the best Macallans I've tried outside their top-shelf range.

Yasmine Najjar — Speyside at its finest

9/10

My mate brought this round and we split a few drams neat over the evening. Immediately you get this gorgeous Christmas cake nose, then toffee and candied orange on the palate with gentle wood spice. The 47.7% ABV is a sweet spot — enough kick to carry the flavours without needing water. One of the best Macallans I've tried outside their top-shelf range.

Oscar Delgado — Speyside at its finest

9/10

My mate brought this round and we split a few drams neat over the evening. Immediately you get this gorgeous Christmas cake nose, then toffee and candied orange on the palate with gentle wood spice. The 47.7% ABV is a sweet spot — enough kick to carry the flavours without needing water. One of the best Macallans I've tried outside their top-shelf range.

Adaobi Eze — Beautiful but hard to justify

8/10

Look, the liquid is genuinely excellent Macallan. Sherry-forward with stewed plums, dark chocolate, and a touch of ginger spice on the finish. I enjoyed every sip neat. But at £999 you're paying a hefty premium for the Peter Blake collaboration and the packaging — the whisky itself drinks more like a £300-400 bottle to me.

Haruki Sato — Beautiful but hard to justify

8/10

Look, the liquid is genuinely excellent Macallan. Sherry-forward with stewed plums, dark chocolate, and a touch of ginger spice on the finish. I enjoyed every sip neat. But at £999 you're paying a hefty premium for the Peter Blake collaboration and the packaging — the whisky itself drinks more like a £300-400 bottle to me.

Simon Hughes — Beautiful but hard to justify

8/10

Look, the liquid is genuinely excellent Macallan. Sherry-forward with stewed plums, dark chocolate, and a touch of ginger spice on the finish. I enjoyed every sip neat. But at £999 you're paying a hefty premium for the Peter Blake collaboration and the packaging — the whisky itself drinks more like a £300-400 bottle to me.

Omar Diallo — A real showpiece bottle

9/10

Picked this up at auction and finally cracked it open for my birthday. At 47.7% it's got real presence — rich dried fruits, honey, and a whiff of old oak that just lingers. Not cask strength but you'd never call it thin. Worth every penny if you can find it, though I wouldn't pay over retail.

Ingrid Holm — A real showpiece bottle

9/10

Picked this up at auction and finally cracked it open for my birthday. At 47.7% it's got real presence — rich dried fruits, honey, and a whiff of old oak that just lingers. Not cask strength but you'd never call it thin. Worth every penny if you can find it, though I wouldn't pay over retail.

Rafael Santos — A real showpiece bottle

9/10

Picked this up at auction and finally cracked it open for my birthday. At 47.7% it's got real presence — rich dried fruits, honey, and a whiff of old oak that just lingers. Not cask strength but you'd never call it thin. Worth every penny if you can find it, though I wouldn't pay over retail.