Hey There. Have we met before? No? I'm Z from Hungary and this is my blog where I share my thoughts on whiskies I taste. I tell you a bit about the distillery or Independent Bottler that it comes from, I give you my tasting notes and then I rate it on a scale of 1-100. I usually take my own pictures of the bottles, if you see my logo on the picture then that is indeed taken by me. If there is no logo then it's a picture I took from somewhere but I always make sure to mention the source. I hope you will enjoy my little posts.

Today Folks we are taking a look at a very highly regarded whisky. The Mac-Talla Oloroso Limited Edition. This is the second Mac-Talla I review on my site, make sure to check out the Mac-Talla Mara review by clicking here. The Mac-Talla Oloroso scores 0.27 points shy of 88 / 100 on whiskybase. This might be the first NAS (Non Age Statement) whisky that I see score this high. Usually in this range there are 18-21 year old bottles. Crazy. Just crazy. And naturally I had to see why this is the case. So I snagged a bottle didn't I? Took it for a spin in our garden to take some photos and then opened it. Let's get right into it.

About Morrisons Scotch Whisky Distillers

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers is solely owned and operated by one of Scotland's oldest and most prominent whisky families, Jamie and Brian Morrison.

They own the following brands: Cárn Mór, Old Perth, Mac-Talla and Bruadar Single Malt. And they also own Aberargie distillery.

About Mac-Talla

Mac-Talla, meaning "ECHO" in Scottish Gaelic, perfectly reflects the connection the Morrisons family have had with Islay for generations.

As one of Scotland's oldest whisky families, the Morrisons have had a strong presence on Islay for four generations.

Each whisky in the Mac-Talla range has been carved by Islay's weather-beaten shores. It's a taste of the untamed that leaves a lasting impression.

There's no place like Islay. Steeped in tradition, shaped by the elements, it's long been a breeding ground for greatness. Great history. Great legacy. Great whisky.

Their core range consists of the Terra, Mara, Flora and the 15 years old Strata.

Mac-Talla Oloroso - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered, 54.8%

"This HEAVILY PEATED Islay single malt was entirely aged in Oloroso sherry butts from the south-west of Spain. The result, big and bold flavours with robust notes of peat smoke, baking spices and almonds."

So let us speculate a bit. Lots of people seem to say that this bottle contains a young Bowmore. Why not? MSWD used to own Bowmore and they still can have a great relationship with them. That means that they might be able to buy whisky from them. It is completely possible. And according to my experience with this whisky, I also would say that this might be a Bowmore very likely. This doesn't taste/drinks like a Caol Ila. And let's be honest, there is a very small chance that this whisky anything else but a Caol Ila or a Bowmore. Well, it could be a peated Bunnahabhain but I don't think it is. Bowmore + Sherry is a heavenly combination. But we don't know where this whisky is from exactly. It's all just a speculation.

Nose: Campfire smoke. Grilled tropical fruits. Sea breeze, salt and brine. Wet rocks. A soft vanilla layer with milk chocolate. Very deep and complex. Dried fruits such as figs and raisins. A hint of blackberry. Cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Citrus fruits and some ash. Old leather and books, like if you were sitting in an old library. This truly reminds me of Bowmore.

Taste: Dense smoke and earthy peat. Ash, ash and ash. Salty and peppery. Mint. The smoke vanishes and lets the sweet, fruity part take over. Vanilla with toffee and soft oak. Leather. Orchard fruits, then dried fruits. Figs, raisins, oranges and pineapple. After a while the smoke comes back and engulfs your mouth once again. Multi-layered, deep, complex. Explosion of flavours. For a probably young whisky (6-7-8 yo) this is very very good. And I would even say that this whisky can get into a ring with much much older whiskies from Islay.

Finish: Long and spicy. Bonfire smoke, earthy peat and lots of ash. (Reminiscent of Bowmore yet again.) Vanilla and espresso. Dried fruits and blackberries. Warming. At the end a soft oak influence. Lovely finish.

Bowmore, not Bowmore it doesn't matter. This whisky delivers. I think for a NAS this whisky this is a banger. Yeah, the price is a bit high but it's definitely worth it. It has multiple layers, it's very complex, it's smoky and sweet at the same time. Perfetion among smoky whiskies? Who knows. What I know is that it will join the "Best whiskies I've had in 2024" category for sure. I am rating this 91 / 100. Buy it, open it, drink it, enjoy it then buy it again. Cheers.

I had this whisky in a flight along with the Six Isles Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and the Mac-Talla Mara. This is one league above those whiskies. And I already liked both a lot. Make sure to check those reviews out aswell. 

Some pictures in this article are not owned by me, I tagged their owner and I attached a link of their site. All other pictures that have my logo on them are TAKEN AND OWNED BY ME.

Follow me on Instagram for more pictures and stories, and to get notified of my new articles, content there as soon as possible. HERE.

Check out the points on all the whiskies I've rated and ranked head-to-head over HERE.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. To many more. Sláinte.