One of the three official Craigellachie bottlings released in 2014, the distillery's 13-year-old single malt Scotch whisky handsomely shows off the bold, robust character of the distillery's output. Think heaps of dynamic fruit notes with a distinctive current of smoke running through the middle. Single malt Craigellachie wasn't seen much outside of indie bottlings for a long time, and we don't take for granted how lovely it is to see Speysider thrive.
You can read more about Craigellachie on the Master of Malt blog.
Apple orchards in bloom, slightly meaty, burnt popcorn, treacle tart.
Oily malt arrives first, followed by BBQ pineapple and summer berries. Pine nuts and almonds.
A very soft hint of sulphur hides behind biscuit and apple notes.
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Canned fruit cocktail fruits, red ones, yellow ones. Tangerines, grapefruit and pomegranate. Orange peels. Yellows and mellows with time in the bottle. Reminiscent of an unpeated Caol Ila. (I could have sworn I got a whiff of something wet sherry cask-like, HP-like, almost heathery, out of the bottle one day, but I've lost it.) Gooseberries, apricot marmalade, cream, vanilla sugar. Cloudberry marmalade and thick sweet sour cream (a combination I tried in some pancake roll ups once. Delicious.) Frozen yogurt. Sassafras root. Ginger. Molasses, rum-like. Dense waxy malt. Malty. Chili note. Cocoa powder, dusty cocoa. Bit bitter. Classic style dry seltzer water. Mineral. Old oak, in the background, like oak furniture sitting in a house built in the 1800s. Walnuts. HONEY, natural and pungent, unprocessed. The sulfur tones ever so slightly down and marries with the caramelly fullness of this dram with aeration. Excellent stuff. Addendum end. -
Funny how for some people who are used to 40% "smooth" spirits anything interesting can be too harsh or astringent, while others dismiss so many malts as "just another Speysider". I found this one a total delight and a standout. Now, everyone rates based on perceived value. I got my 1L bottle at Niagara Falls Duty Free just under $50 US, so I am VERY happy with this one. And it's a special occasion pour. If you are accustomed to lower abv spirits, please realize that "craft presentation" malts (46% or more, non-chill filtered, no colorant added) are not "easy access" like your 40% "smooth" stuff. They require some contemplation, experimentation with how much water to add, time to open up, etc. Like reading a serious book vs. watching TV. Stronger bottlings are not about the supposed manliness of drinking it neat no matter the abv, but about carrying more flavor into the glass. Master blenders typically dilute to around 35% to be able to perceive the complexity because ethanol is anesthetic at stronger concentrations. Also, fresh water has dissolved oxygen in it, so it helps to oxidize the whisky to open it up. So if you are proud of not adding ice to your whisky, realize that drinking it without a few drops of water is similar to drinking it chilled - it dulls your senses from perceiving the most interesting aromatics. Granted, some people like the bite above all, so preferences will vary, but if you are into flavor, try it with water, experiment. For me, the malts I had initial difficulty with are now among favorites (Ardbeg 10, Old Pulteney 12, Highland Park 12, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12) while some of the easy-pleasy malts like Glenfiddich 12 and Tomintoul 10 are less interesting to me now (while there's nothing offensive about them).
Just tried this not 30 minutes ago. This is my first Speyside so I have nothing to compare it against, but on it's own it is a wondrous delight! The color is a pale straw to golden. Very light. Clear with no sediments. It's viscosity is on the lighter side; about half that of Monkey Shoulder. This is a friendly scotch on the nose when in a snifter. I found notes of Clove, and Apple, with a light touch of smoke and salt. It's light but not bright like a mint or an Irish. The taste was a joy! It's nothing like an Irish Whiskey (with its buttery, sugar cookie notes) But reminds me more of a field on shoreline of the East Coast. You get tastes of cloves, honey, apple, salt, and smoke. You know that moment you experience surrounded by freshly mown grass in the cooling dusk of an early summer? It's like that. I could've spent hours drinking this.
notes of caramel, toffee, smoke
Very nice scotch,I like the sweetness and harmony with honey and floral finish. Just a splash of spring water brings it all together.
