The Macallan distillery uses a traditional low yield barley called "golden promise". It uses very small stills (especially spirits stills) heated with Sherry fire which limits the quantities but favours the concentration of the flavours. One of the characteristics of the Macallan style is also that it is aged entirely in sherry casks, where it acquires exceptional roundness and smoothness. This Macallan was matured for 18 long years exclusively in old oak casks from Jerez, Spain. These casks, impregnated with Oloroso sherry and hand-sorted, give it great richness and complexity. The round palate reveals a rich expression of ripe oak, ginger and sultana notes. This is an exceptional single malt, one of the most successful in the whisky world. [Please note that as I have several bottles of this same reference, the hologram number shown in the pictures may be different from the number on the actual bottle you receive. Naturally, the condition will be identical.]