Comparable to Macallan?

@Sugarmags325 He has probably one or a few of the many expressions Macallan has produced. These expressions are going in Canada from 80$ to thousands of $$$$$. So you could pick another expression of Macallan or you could try some Balvenie, maybe. Tell us which expression he has and you will get better suggestions, more precise with a better chance of pleasing him.

Glengoyne, 18 years+

Glendronach, pretty much any of the non-peated ones

Glenfarclas, the 15-year if it's available to you (not typically found in the US)

Aberlour, the A'bunadh, the 12 Non-Chillfiltered, or any of the 16 years+ ones

@MadSingleMalt The oaky side of Macallan is hard to match. How do you get that much Oak without being harsh or woody..

I consider Glengoyne to be too malty to be a replacement for Macallan and Glenfarclas too Winey with too much of an alcohol burn. Glendronach would work better than Aberlour for the mellowness and roundness.

The Glenfiddich 15 yo DE would also work. But to get the oaky side and the honey side we would probably have to do a vatting. I would suggest to take some Glendronach and to add some Irish whisky in it, something like Green Spot or Tallamore Dew.

If you want something comparable to Macallan, you could just set a pile of your money on fire. The regret you feel afterwards is just like what you might feel after purchasing a Macallan. (I’m just kidding- sort of)

@Robert99 That's what makes this so confusing! I will have to pry more this weekend when I see him. Thank you for your suggestions.

@OdysseusUnbound I don't drink the stuff, just trying to make my man happy...or happier than he already is!

@MadSingleMalt Thank you!

The Macallans I've had (CS, old12, 18... I can't really remember the 25 YO) have a specific dark note quality that I haven't seen in many other sherry bombs.

I agree A'Bunadh would be in a similar class (to the CS) or you could splurge for Aberlour 18. If you don't mind looking beyond Scotland, Amrut Intermediate Sherry is one of the best sherry-matured single malts around. Or an Amrut single cask (sherry-matured) would be nice.

These are all high proof options. Part of it depends on what he's used to. Slightly tamer options include Glenfarclas 15 YO or Glendronach 18

@Sugarmags325 Sorry. I was just teasing. Most of the people on these forums know how I feel about Macallan and generally indulge my juvenile sense of humour.

@Nozinan is pretty knowledgeable about this stuff, as are @Robert99 and @MadSingleMalt

@Nozinan I totally agree with you about A'bunadh being a good replacement for the CS although being a lot more spicy. To pursue my vatting idea, a mix of Glenfarclas 15(25%), Glenfarclas 105 (25%) and A'bunadh (50%) could be a good idea. Even better, a mix of A'bunadh (80%) and Michel Couvreur Overaged (20%) should be close to Macallan CS. I think I will try it tonight!

@Robert99 Let me know how it goes (but make it an early night, I know you have a lot to do tomorrow). I still feel there is something unique about the Mac CS (I haven't enough experience with the 12 and 18 I tried to know if it's there too) that is not present in any other sherried malt. So I think it would be difficult to replicate. Which is not to say your vatting won't be better... just different.

@Nozinan - I've only ever tried the Gold (which was OK) but is Macallan 'all that'?

Seems to be one that folk either love with a passion or think is a bit of a rip of @OdysseusUnbound seemingly one of the latter ;)

I was tempted by the no. 2 edition but it seems to have sold out now.

The only Mac CS I've ever paid for was $73 (going for 125 GBP online at the time) and worth every PST-free dollar. It is an excellent malt.

The 12 and 18 I tried were also excellent. I had never really enjoyed lower ABV whiskies before (these were the older age-stated ones and I had them at a "function").

I have been through a bottle of the 25 in the years before I really understood what it was and I don't remember it at all. @Victor reviewed the last 30 cc of this, I believe.

I have avoided all the pole-dancer series and more recent NAS Macallans.

@RianC, you are, of course, speaking about current prices for Macallan. A few years ago when some of us were buying it a lot more, it was not nearly so ridiculously priced as it is now. Here in parts of the US we were buying the wonderful North American release of Macallan Cask Strength for about $ 65 in 2011. That one has become legendary for a few of us who knew it well. I consumed one bottle of that one, have 2 more unopened, and wish I had 6 more on top of that.

Whiskies like the Macallan 18 yo have almost doubled in price many places since 2011.

At the current point in historical price time I consider only the 12 yo Sherry Oak to be a good buy among the sherried Macallan line. The 10 yo Fine Oak is reasonably priced also, but it doesn't appeal to many.

For the sulphur sensitive, like me, sherried Macallan without a taste-in-advance is always highly suspect. So far I've never tasted a bad 12 yo sherry oak, thank God.

@Sugarmags325, you are not likely to ever see Glenfarclas 15 in the US. If your boy friend is a cask strength kind of a guy get him an Aberlour A'bunadh, an Amrut Intermediate Sherry Matured, or a Glendronach Cask Strength (or Glenfarclas 105 if the preceding three are unavailable or too expensive for you_) If he likes the lower proof stuff, something as simple and get-able as the.Glenfarclas 12 yo will do. Best advice, just get him an A'bunadh or an Intermediate Sherry.

@Nozinan Don't worry, it will not be a full dram and it will be early.

@OdysseusUnbound no problem. I like a silly sense of humor!

@Victor Thank you so much for the suggestions!

@Sugarmags325, you are welcome. I am sure we'd like to hear more about what you are drinking too.

@Nozinan I did my vatting. I adjust it putting 60% A'bunadh, 20% Glenfarclas 105, 10% Glenfarclas 17% and 10% Michel Couvreur Overaged. I am quite please with it even if it's not as chocolaty as the Mac CS. I find it very hard to obtain at the same time the power and the roundness of the original Mac CS.

Thanks everyone!