A Whisky That Tastes of Coconut Without Any Coconut: The Macallan and Jordi Roca
No coconut, yet it tastes of coconut. Discover how American oak creates the flavour of The Macallan Inspired by Fresh Coconut, and the desserts Jordi Roca created to go with it.
There is no coconut in it at all, and yet it tastes of coconut. That is the surprise of The Macallan Harmony Collection Inspired by Fresh Coconut, the sixth and final release of the collection, which arrives with desserts by Jordi Roca.
When someone tastes this whisky for the first time, they usually ask the same question: has coconut been added? The answer is no. Everything you find in the glass comes from the distillery, the wood and time. And behind that flavour there is a small chemistry lesson worth knowing.
The secret is in the cask
Oak wood contains aromatic compounds called lactones, known in the whisky world as "whisky lactones". Their aroma recalls coconut and, to a lesser extent, vanilla and sweet wood. American oak has more lactones than European oak, which is why whiskies matured in it often show coconut notes.
The Macallan Whisky Mastery Team has taken this idea to the extreme. For this release it chose sherry-seasoned American oak casks, picked precisely for their high lactone content. It then added casks that previously held bourbon, which bring refinement and round off the whole.
What you will find in the glass
The result is a whisky whose colour the house has named "King Coconut". On the nose come coconut, citrus and tropical fruit, with vanilla, sweet oak and a light touch of spice. On the palate it is creamy coconut and zesty lime, with gentle sweetness. The finish is bright and floral.
It is bottled at 46.3% ABV. To appreciate its nuances, serve it neat in a tasting glass, then try it with a little water.
Desserts by Jordi Roca
A release inspired by one ingredient called for a chef who knows how to treat it. The Macallan has once again teamed up with El Celler de Can Roca, and this time the star is Jordi Roca, the youngest of the three brothers and the pastry chef of the Girona restaurant.
Jordi has created the sweet dishes that accompany this whisky as part of the TimeSpirit Dining Experience, the gastronomic experience at The Macallan Estate in Scotland. It is the same dialogue between kitchen and distillery we saw in Distil Your World Paris, now from the sweeter side.
Want to bring that idea home? Try this whisky with a dessert that plays with its notes: a coconut sponge cake, a lime tart or a tropical fruit sorbet.
A box that also comes from coconut
The collection signs off with a nod to sustainability. The box is made from paper containing discarded coconut fibre. Coconut coir and shells at the end of their life are charred in an emission-free process, and that charcoal gives the paper its black colour.
The final chapter of the Harmony Collection
With Inspired by Fresh Coconut, The Macallan closes The Harmony Collection and returns to the estate the series began at. As the very last release, it is a piece much sought after by collectors.
Only a handful of bottles remain at Vinozia. Discover The Macallan Harmony Collection Inspired by Fresh Coconut at Vinozia and explore the rest of our whisky range.