Macallan 18 vs Talisker 18: Head to Head!

Discover the differences between Macallan 18 vs Talisker 18 in this in-depth comparison and decide which Single Malt is better for You!

Macallan 18 Double Cask

Nose	Dried fruit, nuts, orange, ginger
Palate	Sherry, honey, vanilla, oak
Finish	Medium, oak, sherry
Alcohol content	86 proof (43% ABV)
How to drink	Neat
Similar to	Macallan Rare Cask, Oban 18

Macallan is a Speyside whisky. This region in northeastern Scotland is renowned for its smooth and fruity whiskies typically aged in sherry casks.

The nose is beautiful, full of dried fruit, roasted nuts, orange and a tad of ginger.

On the palate, Macallan 18 offers a good mouthfeel as it has a good texture. Flavor is full of sherry and honey at first, followed by vanilla and pleasant oak.

The finish is moderately long, with oak to it and more sherry and just a pleasant warming note coming late to the party.

Macallan 18 is a super smooth and yet complex malt with lots of depth. Flavor is full of sherry product of the aging in sherry casks, but well balanced against oak and vanilla flavors.

It has a creamy body and a soft mouthfeel, with no harshness or alcohol burn making it incredibly easy to sip.

This is a whisky to drink neat as it does not have any off-putting note, such as peat, smoke, medicinal notes or any complicated flavor; this is just a smooth sherried Scotch that goes down nicely.

Overall, the Macallan 18 is a smooth and tasty malt rich in sherry notes and extremely smooth.

Is it good? Yes… is it worth the price? that’s a tough question as there are some 12 year malts such as Glenallachie or GlenDronach that go toe to toe with the Macallan 18 and cost a fraction.

If you absolutely want to buy a Macallan Scotch for the bragging rights I suggest you look into the Macallan 15 which is just as good and doesn’t require you to put a mortgage on your home.

There are a few facts worth knowing about the Macallan 18:

• Aged for 18 years in both American and European sherry seasoned oak casks.

• Macallan does not use caramel-coloring.

• The Macallan Distillery was founded in 1824 and is located in Moray, Scotland.

• The brand belongs to the Edrington Group who also owns Highland Park, Glenrothes and the modest Famous Grouse, the best-selling Whisky in Scotland.

Talisker 18

Nose	Smoke, ripe fruit
Palate	Smoke, bacon, ripe fruit
Finish	Long, smoke, oak spice
Alcohol content	92 proof (46% ABV)
How to drink	Neat
Similar to	Oban 18

Talisker is an Island Whisky and these malts are famous for their smoky characters although Talisker is quite restrained on the smoke when compared to brands like Ardbeg or Laphroaig.

The nose hits with smoke, followed by a nice fruity note.

On the palate, the Talisker 18 displays a good creamy body. Flavor delivers light smoke up-front, along a meaty note that tastes like smoked bacon, ripe fruit and a bit of brine and oak.

The finish lingers with soft smoke, along a bit of oak spice, salt and very little warmth making a incredibly tasty and satisfying malt.

Talisker 18 is a different type of whisky than the Macallan 18 as this whisky is rich in smoke coming from the peats used to dry the malted barley.

It has a nice oily texture, is briny, peaty and meaty without overwhelming the fruit and spice accomplishing a good balance.

This whisky drinks nicely neat but if you find it too peaty add a dash of water, that will tune it down a bit while making it sweeter and easier to sip.

Overall, the Talisker 18 is a great Scotch with still moderate peat presence product of the long aging, well balanced against fruity and spicy notes making a great “everyday whisky“.

This is the Best Talisker Whisky and one I can’t recommend enough.

There are a few facts worth knowing about this whisky:

• Aged for 18 years in traditional oak casks.

• “Best Whisky in the World” at the World Whiskies Awards in 2007.

• Talisker is an Island Whisky crafted in the Isle of Skye since 1830; founded by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill.

• This brand is owned by Diageo and is a major contributor to the Johnnie Walker Black Label blends.

Macallan 18 vs Talisker 18: Price comparison

Price are approximate and stated in USD:

Whisky	Price
Macallan 18	$410
Talisker 18	$170

Macallan 18 vs Talisker 18: Which is better?

Talisker 18 is a champ in terms of value

Whiskey	Macallan 18	Talisker 18
Nose	✅
Body		✅
Palate	✅	✅
Finish		✅
Value		✅

• Talisker 18 makes a better choice for those who want a flavorful dram, with moderate peat presence and yet quite smooth. This whisky is an improvement over its 10 YO sibling and one of my favorite 18 year whiskies.

• Macallan 18 is a sweet and smooth sherried whisky, with not a trace of smoke or peat, making a super easy drinker.

• But for its price I feel that there are better options out there such as GlenDronach, Glenallachie or Glenmorangie.

• The Macallan 18 is quite good but not extraordinary for a whisky at such price tag.