Nose: Bundle of rotten apples in paint thinner

Palate:  Not much better.  Bitter, tree branchy, solvent.

Macallan = great

Scott's Selection = great

Scott's Selection Macallan = sucks

Nose of... umm.... hay? Trace of white pepper and graham cracker? Palate is a spicy number with a slight "ooh" factor. And after time, wow, this opens up in to great whisky. Rich and spicy, just enough kick to make me happy without being overwhelmed. Walnuts, almonds, cayenne, big vanilla. Finish is a very long fade.

But as this continues to open up and aerate, the wood gets too prominent and bitter. So the key with this whisky is to drink it in that "middle time period" of opening-up. Whatever that's called. Oh, it's not called anything? Well it is now: I'm officially calling it the "mittezeit," which arguably could mean "middle period" in German. 'Cause everything sounds cooler in German.  

Oh, no kidding, this is Macallan?! Hmm. Well, okay now I can see some similarities with the Fine Oak range, but none of those approach the spicy idiosyncrasies in here.

B/B+ for the mittezeit. Don't let it sit too long.

N: Oaky with a bit of acetone and wet stones.  

P: Well, I've never been a big fan of the Fine Oak series, and this is similar in profile.   Buttery, sweet, vanilla.

F:  There's a metallic bitter taste in the finish which is an additional minor detraction to an otherwise odd malt.

Couldn't really get into this one at all.