The Macallan Edition No. 2 Single Malt Scotch Whisky

This is a bright single malt, more orchard and flower than heavy oak. Citrus leads, clean and a little zesty, with jasmine sitting just behind it. Underneath there is something softer and greener: banana peel and fresh sugarcane, the kind of sweetness that reads as juicy rather than syrupy. White pepper keeps it from turning simple.

At 90 proof (45% ABV), it carries a bit more weight than a standard bottling without losing that lift. The texture is light on the tongue but not thin, and the pepper gives the finish a small, dry snap. Additive free, so what you taste is the spirit and the wood, nothing tinted or adjusted.

A useful everyday Scotch: approachable enough to drink neat after dinner, sturdy enough to hold up in a highball. It comes in a 750 mL bottle.