A single cask Macallan distilled in June 1988 and finished in Japanese mizunara oak by the independent bottler East Asia Whisky Company. Only 51 bottles came from cask #5344, bottled in 2019 at 48.6% ABV.
About This Whisky
The spirit spent 29 years in an ex-bourbon cask, which kept the fruity Macallan distillate lighter and more vanilla-led than the sherried house bottlings. In 2018 it was moved into a cask made from mizunara oak that had grown for more than two centuries in the forests of Hokkaido. After its finish it was bottled in 2019 at 30 years old and natural cask strength of 48.6%, giving 51 bottles.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Honey, vanilla and ripe orchard fruit, then sandalwood, incense and a faint coconut note from the Japanese oak.
- Palate: Layered and oily, with dried apricot, citrus peel and malt, turning spicy and fragrant as the mizunara comes through.
- Finish: Aromatic and lingering, with temple incense, soft oak and orange zest.
Serving & Food
Serve in a tulip glass at room temperature. At 48.6% it opens with a few drops of water. Pair it with sashimi of fatty tuna, a plate of wagyu nigiri, or simply a pot of green tea on the side.
How to Enjoy
Mizunara enthusiasts and collectors of independent single-cask Macallan.
Product Details
Producer: The Macallan
Distillery: The Macallan, Easter Elchies, Speyside
Bottler: East Asia Whisky Company
Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Series: Mizunara Trilogy, first release
Vintage / Bottling: Distilled June 1988, bottled 2019
Age: 30 years
Cask Type: Ex-bourbon cask (29 years), finished in mizunara oak cask
Cask Number: #5344
Outturn: 51 bottles
ABV: 48.6%
Volume: 700mL
About the Distillery
This whisky was made at The Macallan and bottled independently. East Asia Whisky Company works with a small portfolio of well-known distilleries, including Macallan, Bowmore, Springbank, Chichibu and Caroni, and has made mizunara cask finishing its speciality. Mizunara is a Japanese oak that grows slowly, is hard to cooper and leaks easily, but gives whisky a scent often compared to sandalwood and incense. The 1988 Macallan was the first of the company's Mizunara Trilogy, followed by 1989 and 1990 vintages.