Macallan and Boston

In tribute to my upcoming appearance on Boston radio tomorrow night (June 10th) at 11:59 PM (The Jordan Rich Show on WBZ 1030 am), I thought I'd take this chance to talk about Macallan Amber Liqueur.

Huh?

I know, I know, you're asking:

1. "What does Macallan Amber Liqueur have to do with Boston?"
2. "What IS Macallan Amber Liqueur?"
3. "Why are you on radio in Boston?"

Let's take those questions in no particular order...

2. "What IS Macallan Amber Liqueur?"
Macallan Amber Liqueur is the first liqueur developed by Macallan. In case you are not familiar with the concept of a whisky liqueur, I will quote myself from Yeah it's pink. What's your point?

A liqueur is class of spirit that is produced by mixing or redistilling spirits with fruits, herbs, spices, and/or cream. Liqueurs are sometimes referred to as "Cordials" and often served as a digestif (after-dinner drink).

Whisky liqueurs are nothing new - Drambuie, Glayva, Columba, Atholl Brose, Heather Cream, Cock O' The North, Stag's Breath and Drumgray are all whisky liqueurs.

Glenfiddich, Old Puteney, Glenturret, Arran and Edradour have all released branded whisky liqueurs based on their malts.

Now that we are all up to speed, let's continue.

Macallan has taken a very interesting approach to Amber - they've used maple and pecan to flavor the Macallan single malt. The result is something fantastic.

The color is a dark deep amber and apparently no artificial coloring is at play. Amber smells like the best maple syrup you've ever had. You have to really get your nose in to detect the Macallan. The taste is sweet without being cloying at all; the maple flavor and nuttiness dominate, but it is incredibly well balanced. Do I detect a little citrus? The finish is where you'll find the Macallan spice - it's long and tasty.

Not only is this delicious neat, but I believe it would make a fantastic cocktail ingredient. As a matter of fact, to test this theory out, I created a "Tan Scotsman"  by mixing equal parts Amber, Kahlua and Whole Milk and found it to be suitably worthy to add to my repertoire. (Apologies to lovers of the White Russian).

The maple flavor is strong, so it will take a little skill to come up with a nice cocktail that isn't dominated by the maple, but once you figure out the balances, you'll have a staple ingredient in your bar.

But it doesn't stop at cocktails - Amber could certainly bring the average cup of latte up to a new level. I could also see this being added to a number of foods - pour Amber on your pancakes and transform them into a gourmet breakfast. Or as a dessert - over pears or good vanilla ice cream. I'm not a bad cook, so I gave cooking with Amber a shot and came up with something pretty good. Recipe below.

Attractively packaged; bottled at 25% ABV; and a suggested retail price of $34.95.

1. "What does Macallan Amber Liqueur have to do with Boston?"
Macallan Amber Liqueur was introduced exclusively into the Boston market last October, and even now is only available in three markets - Boston, San Francisco, and Minneapolis.

I talked to my friend Joe Howell of Federal Wine & Spirits (Boston) about Amber:

We went through cases of the stuff when it was first introduced. It's very fairly priced. It was a very popular Christmas gift. We even had some Canadians come down for it.

It's a great product to have as an after or before dinner drink when you're having guests. It's really good to give to people who say they don't like Scotch.

A good chef could do some spectacular things with Amber.

So if you are in Boston, pick up a bottle, or stop by your local hipster bar and have them whip you up something nice.

3.  "Why are you on radio in Boston?"
Some people are actually interested in what I have to say. Seriously, Scotch Blog reader and Boston local Dick Syatt introduced me to some Boston radio personalities - and this turned into stints on the Rod Fritz and Jordan Rich shows. I'll be talking about Scotch, the second edition of my book, places to buy Scotch in the Boston area, and generally why more Bostonians should be drinking Scotch.
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Federal Wine & Spirits
29 State Street
Boston, MA 02109
617.367.8605  
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Scallops with Bacon and Amber
1 pound of Scallops
4-5 slices of Bacon
2 ounces Macallan Amber Liqueur

• Coarsely chop the bacon and brown in a frying pan until cooked through.
• Remove the bacon, leaving the drippings in the pan.
• Saute the scallops in the same pan until cooked through. Drain any liquid.
• Pour the Amber over the scallops and saute until the scallops are coated and the Amber has reduced slightly.
• Add the cooked bacon to pan and toss until coated.
• Serve immediately.

Comments

[Rebecca]

Amber sounds quite similar to an utterly marvelous liqueur called Sortilge, which is made with Canadian rye whisky and maple syrup. Maison des Futailles also makes a maple syrup eau-de-vie called Fine Sve that is similar in character to the Sortilge, but less sweet.

[Matt]

I lived in Salem MA for over 10 years and used to listen to Jordan Rich and his illustrious predecessor (I know I spelled that wrong!) on my drive home from gigs.

I'll try to listen in!

Amber sounds scrumtious, can't wait till it hits Louisville... it will hit Louisville?

[MplsChick]

WOW. I had the pleasure of sampling Amber at the Calhoun Beach Club in Minneapolis. This drink is amazing!

My tastes run more to the occasional margarita, colorado bulldog, and, when I am sick, blackberry brandy.

The first sip of my "Amber Sour" (Amber, Lemon and Orange Juice)sent me over the edge. Because of the maple undertones, this would be my favorite brunch drink. Mimosas, Go hang your heads in shame!

P.S. Another drink suggestion was the "Amber Lace" (Amber, Raspberry Liqueur, Club Soda, and raspberries)

[debbie]

I just returned from Scotland, while there I enjoyed Amber almost every night for 2 weeks. I was a non Scotch drinker. But Amber is smooth,mildly sweet, it did not cause a hangover. And it is good on waffles hey we had to try it, I mean it's maple flavored. I even brought back an empty bottle, the cork is encased in a wooden cover, pretty nice.

[Mark]

I bought a bottle this past weekend on a whim. It is fantastic. It is very smooth, sweet but not-too-sweet with delicious nutty undertones. The Macallan comes through at the back of the palate and is clear in the lingering finish. Delicious neat or on ice I haven't used it yet in a cocktail, but look forward to experimenting.
My previous favorite syrup was a Grand Marnier infused Syrup I received as a gift from a friend in Canada, but Amber is a whole new class.
I hope the market expands because this is definitely worth trying.

[John Brogan]

The taste is amazing, sweet but not sickly, the maple syrup flavor is lovely and there is a perfect nuttiness to the finish.

I first tasted Amber when I was in Scotland 2 years ago but could not find it when I got back to the US, I found it again after a great article in Food and Wine magazine which pointed me towards the Whisky Shop in San Francisco who ship all over the country through their great website www.whiskyshopusa.com