u/Ornery-Clue7117

Saw these bottles of Johnnie Walker Red in Egypt yesterday and honestly got a bit suspicious 😭

The bottles looked different from the ones I usually see in Europe, had Arabic writing on them, and some even said “12 years old” on the label — which confused me because JW Red isn’t age stated as far as I know.

I know brands often use different packaging for different markets, languages, importers, duty-free releases etc.,

but it still caught me off guard because the bottle shape/label looked unusual compared to the European versions.

Are these actually legitimate regional versions or is fake whisky a real issue there?

Curious if anyone else has seen these.

Finally got the chance to compare these two Macallans, both Double Cask ( a combination of American and European oak seasoned with sherry by Macallan)

Macallan 12 double cask- 40% ( very glad that got it as a gift but worth around 70€ (90$) in my market):

Nose-

Quite a citrusy nose with lemons and oranges alongside the typical sherry dark fruits, raisins and vanilla-like sweetness, a hint of oak. Very pleasant nothing too punchy on the nose.

Palate-

It starts with initial sweetness - fresh cherries, dark fruits, raisins, light honey, some milk chocolate, a hint of oak. Mid-palate it turns a bit watery.

Very light, balanced, tasty, nothing overwhelming- i like it very much.

The finish is medium-long -

oaky spiciness, red fruits, cherries, vanilla. The aftertaste is quite long as well and i expected a lot more dryness ( like in the Macallan Night on Earth but fortunately there's less of that.)

Macallan night on earth in jerez 2024- 43% ( got it at a big discount for around 110€ but it's around 130-135€ now):

Nose-

Richer and deeper. More raisins, darker fruit, honey, and stronger oak influence.

Palate-

More intense but also more oak-driven. Dried fruits, spice, honey, but comes across a bit hotter than 43%. Feels less balanced and more “angular” compared to the Double Cask.

Finish:

Longer, but much drier. Oak and spice dominate more than the sherry sweetness.

Overall: definitely more “serious” on paper, but also more oak-heavy and less immediately enjoyable.

The comparison:

I expected to prefer the Night on Earth because it seems more premium, higher Abv, but I actually enjoyed the Double Cask more.

It just feels better balanced and more cohesive. Yeah, the 12 double cask could benefit from a slight ABV push but for what is it supposed to be- a balanced enjoyable whisky- it's one of the best I've tasted.

I think the 12 is worth the price especially when some of the money go to charity ( The Robertson trust).

The night on earth in the other hand is quite good as well, more sherry influence, but i feel like it can't decide what it is- definitely not a sherry bomb, but also not an everyday refined dram.

If I'm in a sherry monster mood, I'd prefer something like Abunadh which is almost half the price.

Which Macallan would you recommend next? 🥃