Duty Free Macallan

Few places manage to contain as much existential dread as the modern airport—how else do you explain those copious opportunities to shop and drink? And if those pursuits are all it takes to cure your blues, you may well enjoy the Macallan's new 1824 Collection, which is available only at duty-free shops. The Macallan, famous for its sherry cask aging, uses American bourbon barrels here, creating pleasing variations on its usual theme. The Select Oak, the lightest of the bunch, is balanced, soft-spoken, and redolent of apricot and spice. The Whiskey Maker's Edition is brassier, with gingersnap notes and a mellow finish. Our favorite, the Estate Reserve, is a gentle giant—a layered, chocolaty offspring of the classic Macallan that you'll taste with your whole mouth. (Mr. Business Class may want to wait for October, when the rarest—and priciest—of the group, the Limited Release, joins the other three.) Too bad they make you wait till you get to your destination to open the bottle. Select Oak, $65; Whiskey Maker's Edition, $96.50; Estate Reserve, $230; and Limited Release, $2,000; for more info, visit themacallan.com