Mac-Talla Red Wine-Barriques MSWD

From: pleasant, quite rich, but definitely not peat and smoke in the foreground: wild dark grapes, figs, a bit of cherry, milk chocolate and distinct vanilla, equally intense oranges, orange peel, a marine/mineral note, and all of this tied together by a non-dominant aroma of burnt peat. S: toffee, milk chocolate, vanilla undertones, red grapes, currant, orange, raspberry and mineral notes wrapped in discreet peat on the finish. F: peat, smoked cheese, red fruits (especially raspberries) 86.5

First impressions (Quicky) a good, most likely, Bowmore /Caol Ila....I read the other notes and definitely need to give it a second try w. more time... Updated: I have to rate it after a second try down for the very bad alcohol integration + off notes (rotten grapes, a bit of sulfur) I think most likely Caol Ila..not bad at all but not exactly good. 83-84. The nose Saves the day here...

Today in the glass a whisky from the Morrison family. The Mac-Talla was released as a limited edition and was bottled at a powerful 53.8% ABV. Fortunately, it is not chill-filtered and has no added colour. The beautiful reddish-yellow to reddish-brown color reflects the full maturation in red wine barrels and rather large windows give hope for an exciting dram. And the dram is always exciting! The high alcohol content invites experimentation and it is amazing how the whisky changes depending on the strength. Rather gruff and boisterous undiluted, then more on the soft side in the lower 40s. Everyone will find their ideal point of enjoyment here, but I would not agree with the statements that this is a Bowmore. In any case, the full maturation in red wine casks has ensured a great colour, even if the taste aspect is not quite as striking, although that does not detract from the whisky. However, the suspicion remains that one or more barrels may have been infected with Brettanomyces. The earthy-mushroom aftertaste when heavily diluted raises this suspicion for me.

Nose-83; Taste-85; Finish-86.

Wonderful nose, the finish in red wine barrels is absolutely successful. For the money I've had much worse in the glass.

The only thing that is good here is the price. Sulfur. Wine filthy note. Dark fruits. Ash. Feels very young and lacks complexity

The first sip is hard, slightly alcoholic and typically bitter oak from red wine storage. With each additional sip, the whisky gains depth, light sweetness and lots of wine. The harsh tones become milder. Medium-length finish, great value for money. In terms of taste, I'd guess port charlotte

Morrison Mactalla The new, 4th in a row of Islay whiskys to be exact. There was Terra, Mara, Strata and now the Red Wine Barrique Limited. Limited? 7200 bottles worldwide. Germany 1176 bottles. Alcohol content 53.8%. Matured in French 24 Ex red wine casks. No finish but complete maturation. Age information is unfortunately missing. May the journey begin. Anyone who has ever been to Bordeaux in the port city on the Garonne in south-western France and has drunk a red wine there and smelled the barrels will inevitably have to think of a red wine when the open glass is 50 cm away. And now, in the warmer seasons, that smell of that sweetish tart red wine, no, that smell of summer berries in the warm sun is wafting through the air. Also the spiciness of herbs and paired with dry puffs of light smoke that pass the nose from afar. It must be nice dry weather on Islay. The alcohol is wonderfully integrated. He is there but not disturbing when inhaling this smell. Everything is present, well coordinated. A very interesting mix. A slight sweetness can be felt at the tip of the tongue, as well as the oak and a light spicy note of cloves. The whisky is soft and pleasant in the mouth and on the suppository there is a berry that contains just that hint of dry cold smoke. And yet it is a powerful dram. (not from alcohol). The French oak is noticeable here. Just different. It stays in the mouth for a long time. After it has taken its way through the suppository. Also something typical of a dry red wine joins in. It easily draws moisture from the tongue and cheeks.A interesting successful interpretation of the Islay smoke. Harmonious and yet present. A great whisky for balmy summer evenings here or on Islay. He's just having fun.

Oh yes, that must be a Bowmore - at least the bottling shows some similarities to the original 19 year old bottling from French ex-Château Lagrange barriques (another wonderful bottling). At first, the Mac-Talla reminds me of a campfire and on the tongue it immediately reminds me of strawberry cream candy, and light tannins as a counterpoint. More notes will follow in the course of a more detailed tasting...

An overall nice red wine cask matured malt that needs a bit of water to really come into its own. Tasty, even if the variety of aromas is not particularly exciting and broad. There is a slight sharpness in the finish. I've already had some Caol Ila and Bowmore with a red wine influence in my glass, and I can't confirm the assumptions made about Bowmore. He reminds me of a Caol Ila, I would rule out Bowmore from my point of view, otherwise it would be a rather untypical Bowmore.

Morrison Mac-Talla Red Wine Barriques SMSW 53.8%. 25ml sample April 2023. Dark orange. Aroma is meaty, red wine served with steak and a dense dark cherry compote. The fruit note is almost damson-like. Body is oily. Taste again has a dense almost blackberry fruitiness that is more pleasant than the character given by most red wine casks to whisky. After that fruit hit there’s a little saltiness and what I interpret as a vague impression of sulphur before a light smoke comes through and lingers on. I’d say this is one of the more successful red wine cask peated whisky attempts I’ve tried. I still don’t love it, but it’s definitely given me faith that red wine casks might have their place in peated whisky production. I’m guessing the wine in those casks was rich. Pretty good, and shows some better judgement than I’m used to when it comes to whiskies utilising this sort of cask. 3.475/83

Limited edition of 7200 bottles. Rich and round. Nose: Berry and smoke Palate: the roundness of red fruit Finish: Beautiful fruity finish, all in smoke Great experience to share.

This is a well executed red wine cask maturation; although I'am not too fond of the flavour profile these casks deliver (the red fruits are nice, but they often come with muddy and sour notes). I enjoyed this dram in a lineup with 5 other Bowmores, this one was the odd one out with a slighter heavier and ashier style of peat. Therefore, I wouldn't be surprised if this is indeed Caol Ila as several other commenters point out in their reviews.

Smell of Islay. Lots of peat and smoke with juicy red fruit and chocolate.

What can I say and write a lot, after the weak version (IMHO) of Mac Talla Strata, whisky is back on the right track, on a par, even surpassing, for me, the best Mac Talla Mar output so far. The red wine barrel, additionally with the right strength of alcohol, made something special and delicious. Fruitiness, a strong smoky accent, interspersed with forest fleece, and at the same time alcohol, which only enhances, and does not dominate all these aromas, are just great for me. You just need to give this whisky time to "catch your breath", but this expectation will reward us all in the form of a wonderful taste feast, which will be only better each time.

maybe young bowmore? matured in red barrique cask. not bad but not good. something is missing despite the high ABV.

Nice variety of aromas that is perfectly complemented by the smoke. Everything goes great together. Appears harmonious and round. I especially like the palate.

08/12/2025 87.5 / 100 Color: Amber with orange reflections, natural. AROMA - 23 / 25 Very pleasant, tasty, and "deceptively" old, which I don't mind at all. Campfire, burnt meat fat from the grill, and plenty of sherry notes. In the background, peat, the light sweetness of dried fruit, and caramel. After a while, the smokiness fades into the background, and a tanned leather, a poppy seed cake mix, red wine, dark chocolate with dried fruit, and even more dried fruit emerge, all complemented by aged wood. The alcohol is very well integrated, and the overall aroma is simply superb. TASTE - 22.5 / 25 A very pleasant combination of old wine barrel and intensely smoky distillate. The sweetness is offset by the sour notes of apple peel, nectarine, and charred wood and embers. Dark chocolate with orange peel, salt, and burnt caramel bathed in smoke. Unfortunately, the overall flavor lacks a touch of depth, leaving it simple but delicious. FINISH - 20.5 / 25 Dry, smoky, and very dry. Notes of salt, winter chimney smoke, citrus peel, and wood. Unfortunately, it's quite short-lived. BALANCE - 21.5 / 25 Unfortunately, the balance is downward. The aroma promises something the taste doesn't quite deliver, and the finish is too dry and fades quickly. It's a pity, because there's untapped potential here.

Guided tasting / 09.2022 Somehow I think I have a Caol Ila here.

This bottling is really successful. I find this bottling much better than the other 3 of the Mac-Talla series. The alcohol is perfectly integrated at 53.8% and disappears behind the very rich aromas. A real taste explosion. I particularly like the chocolate and blackberry notes and that delicious oily smoked bacon. The finish is very long and I also find blackberries and chocolate here.

Half way down the bottle it seems fit to do a more extensive tasting note now. After a quick note based on a generous dram at my local liquor store I was immediately convinced but also curious what it had to offer over a period of time. Well a small spoiler alert; this isn’t boring at all.

blind tasting I'll keep my nose in and I'll be with Bowmore in a jiffy. Warm and sooty campfire smoke. Behind all this lies a clear fruity note. The alcohol is clearly perceptible, but very well integrated. I think I can smell some red wine or port here. Reminds me very much of the Laimrig I had in my glass years ago. Sweet on the tongue. The smoke increases. Definitely Bowmore. Unique profile. Alcohol very well integrated. In the nose I had estimated it well over 50%. Now I'm more like 48%. And I'm more into port now than red wine. Simply because of this sweet aftertaste. Sweet red grape juice. Milk chocolate. And nice spices, notes of clove and cinnamon. The finish is long and warming. A subtle smoky note lingers for a long time. And a sweet caramel note. The oak shows up quite clearly here now. Great, I really like it. It lacks some depth. But that's whining on a very high level.

aroma Good smoke, vanilla, caramel The taste Lots of smoke, cherries, some pepper. Resonance Medium, chocolate, smoke, astringent

For me one of the weaker Mac-Talla.

Like every other Mac-Talla Also this one is a Bowmore. And their best expression so far! Terra pleases a friendly budget with a very decent whisky, Mara is P/Q a stunner! This red wine barriques might be the most expensive one but it’s also a cracker of a dram! After a wee dram in the shop I was convinced right away! It’s very recognizable as a Bowmore with maritime flavors and the ‘typical’ oranges. The red wine really added nice layers of spices and grapes. A more detailed note will follow but damn what a dram! Excellent stuff from the previous owners of this distillery!

Blind sample tasting

Smoke, red fruits, European oak, sea and spice - it works. A bit too much ginger in the mouth.

This whisky has three or four leading aromas. Prominent smoke and red wine, without the wine notes can be broken down more precisely. Plus maritime influences. Beyond that, not much comes. The whole thing can be understood well on the palate. The whisky is okay, but without having any unique selling points. A somewhat "rough club" overall By the way: no idea why everyone here wants a Bowmore in their glass? It is much more likely that Caol Ila is always the distillery of origin for the MacTallas, which the host of an official MSWD tasting also indicated quite bluntly.

Decent peated NAS; smells and tastes like Caol Ila.

Nose, butter, poppy seed bun, strudel, cherry compote, dry red wine, pharmacy notes, iodine, nurse's office, grease, resin, pine needles. Taste, powerfully smoky, peaty and tarry, thick and greasy, coffee, tea grounds, only later wine flavors break through, dry, not sour, ripe, perfectly ripe fruit, not too sweet, apple peel, smoked pepper, chili. Finish, medium long, dry, tarry, more marine, crisp, pleasant.