Pairing Macallan 12 year Doublecask with Clans of Caledonia

The Whisky: Macallan 12 Year Double Cask

From the distillery that needs no introduction (but I’ll give one anyway) – Macallan is one of the legendary distilleries not just in Scotland but in the entire world. Their whisky is known for its exceptional craftsmanship and elegance, and the Macallan brand has been elevated to be synonymous with luxury. As a byproduct of this, some of their releases are the most expensive in the world – last year, a bottle of Macallan 60 year sold for 2.7 million dollars. Obviously, a 60 year-old product is a rarity, but the point still stands – it doesn’t get more luxury than a 2.7 million dollar whisky.

Thankfully, they still offer products that are within the price range of non-millionaires like me. This particular bottle is aged 12 years in sherry and ex-bourbon casks. Coming in at $85 at the local liquor store, it’s not cheap, but certainly obtainable if you’re ok with dropping a little cash.

On the nose, I find this pour to be on the gentle end at first. A little exploration produces a citrus note, like an orange peel. There’s also a lot of chocolate here, manifesting in fudge and Milk Duds. There are some slighter notes around the edges as well; some almonds, licorice, and apple make themselves known. An all around pleasant nose, worthy of exploration.

On the palate, the chocolate takes over. The fudge becomes the primary note, which I’ll never complain about. Other sweet notes are floating around as well – something akin to caramel sauce, honey, and jam are all present. I also taste freshly baked bread underneath it all. Finally, the viscosity is good – it’s not quite syrupy, but certainly not thin. Really tasty.

On the finish, the fudge, caramel sauce, and honey all carry on from the palate. These gorgeous flavors all roll on for awhile, making it easy to sit and enjoy this glass for as long as I want. While there are certainly other distilleries that match this level of quality, it’s easy to see from this glass why Macallan is so popular – there’s nothing offensive here, and it’s an incredibly easy glass to fully enjoy. 

The Game: Clans of Caledonia

Clans of Caledonia is an economic game set in 19th-century Scotland. In fact, the word Caledonia is the ancient Roman word for Scotland – the more you know. In Clans, players take on the role of one of many real Scottish clans and work for their economic prosperity. They do this by sending out woodsmen and stonecutters to generate cash, raising livestock, buying land, and fulfilling contracts. You can invest in improving technology to generate more income, build dairies and distilleries, and improve your shipping abilities. The clans each have variable abilities based on their real-world counterparts’ business focus, which is a really cool touch – especially when you can distill whisky as the clan that owned the Dalmore distillery. There’s also a dynamic market available to players where goods can be purchased at a price determined by demand. In many ways, this game seeks to simulate making economic decisions in a dynamic environment, and I think it succeeds in doing so.

There are a lot of things to like about this game. The mechanics all work together to make you think within the framework of economic competition: there’s a race for prime land, elbowing over the most valuable contracts, and a need to maximize your unique business strength. However, one thing this game is not is easy. Cash is limited, and it’s easy to find yourself spending several rounds achieving little, if you don’t plan well. Just like real business, one misstep can lead to ruin (or a lost game). This is attractive to me – I love games that are tight and that reward good planning/punish a failure to plan. However, some might find it too punishing. This isn’t a game I’d pull out with new gamers or people who shy away from competition. But for the crowd that isn’t put off by that kind of thing, it’s a winner.