The Macklowe American Single Malt Whiskey Kentucky Gold Edition

46% ABV, 700 ml, Locally sourced, small batch limited release. ISC Cooper Select Char 3, aged 44 months.

Review by F.Paul Pacult

EYE
Color: Jonquil/amber.
Clarity: Sediment free; clean and bright.

NOSE
Dryness/sweetness scale 1 (dry) to 10 (sweet): 1-2
1st 2 minutes: Most notable upfront in the opening inhalations after the pour is the honeyed breakfast cereal-like aroma that’s toasted, grainy, biscuity, and dry; a highly pleasant beginning.
5 minutes: More aeration unleashes floral (sunflower) and marginally sweeter scents, including butterscotch and English toffee.
10 minutes: The final sniffs detect distant elements of dried fruits, green leaf tobacco, caramel, and roasted almond, culminating in a desirable bouquet that’s balanced, more understated than blaringly forthright; in all, a splendid aromatic display of subtle complexity.

MOUTH
Dryness/sweetness scale 1 (dry) to 10 (sweet): 2
Entry: First tastes, which add a greater, if measured, degree of sweetness than the bouquet, include butterscotch, light caramel, and walnut butter.
Midpalate: It’s here at this critical juncture that the full splendor of the composed taste profile comes into play, offering concentrated flavors of dried tropical fruits (guava), minerals (akin to lead pencil), walnut, vanilla bean, and toasted cereal grains.
Texture: Medium-weighted; moderate, bonding oiliness.
Finish: Aftertaste is complex, multilayered, and pleasingly bittersweet, with echoes of Cracker Jack candy, nougat-laced candy bar, walnuts, almonds, and baking spices, especially vanilla, clove, and nutmeg.

OVERALL
Another obvious triumph for the Macklowe Whiskey brand, which continues to expand upon and enhance the fast-growing American Single Malt Whiskey subcategory. An elegant, if restrained American whiskey treat.