Craigellachie 2006/2020 Caora N°9
Style Single Malt Scotch Country Scotland Region Speyside Distillery Craigellachie Bottler Caora Distillation Date August 2006 Bottling Date September 2020 Age 14 years Maturation Refill Barrel Cask 8101283 Alcohol 54.9%vol Volume 50cl Outturn 215 Bottles Craigellachie 2006/2020 (54.9%, Caora, cask #8101283, refill barrel, 215 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: much fatter and sinewed with this very juicy and plush malty sweetness. Background waxiness, mineral oil, shoe polishes and this impression of hot draff and sweet wort. Craigellachie can be a compelling and enchanting make when presented in natural form like this, easy to see why those dyed in the wool whisky geeks at Caora would select such a cask. With water: dusty, chalky, floral and tautly structured with this brittle waxiness and impressions of pollens and dried flowers. Mouth: oily, mouth-coating, surprisingly herbal and with these wee medical traces in the background as well. A nicely chewy maltiness, some fennel and touches of mint tea, verbena and camphor. With water: still very thick in texture and on things like fennel, aniseed, dried flowers, waxes, herbal ointments and mineral oils. Finish: good length, nicely drying, toasty cereals, shilling ales, bitter herbs and wee sooty touches. Comments: is Craigellachie an underrated distillate? It's very a gungy and quite brutal make at times, but for fans of charismatic spirit it's undeniably fascinating. This is a really good example I think- a smart selection!
87 points.