Craigellachie 16yo 2008/2024

Craigellachie 16yo 2008/2024

Soho Selection, Milroy’s of Soho
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
66.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honeydew melons, black pepper, black tea, fresh baked bread, raisins, hints of chocolate. With water, orange peel, raisins, malted grains, fresh baked bread. 

Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, coffee, honey, raisins, Demerara sugar, black tea, black pepper, hints of sulphur, hints of gunpowder. With water, malted grains, raisins, orange peel, cloves. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, coffee, chocolate, black tea, hints of Demerara sugar. 

Comments: 

Sweet and sticky, even at this massive ABV. Water dilutes the intensity to an acceptable level, making it malty and orangey. A very nice dram indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Craigellachie 21yo Ex PX Sherry Cask

Craigellachie 21yo Ex PX Sherry Cask

Collector Series, Caskshare
Single malt - Speyside
Amber brown 
58.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, damson jam, black tea, chocolate, malted grains, candle wax, hints of roast beef. With water, cream, strawberries, magic marker, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, mouth coating, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Damson jam, strawberries, malted grains, raisins, black pepper, roast beef, coffee. With water, raisins, cream, fresh baked bread, hints of peppermint. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, malted grains, peppermint, candle wax. 

Comments: 

Cask CR.03.01. Very sweet and more-ish, with a meaty savoury sweetness. Heaps of waxiness on the nose and on the finish as well, this ought to be from the cask, but I can’t think of what wood might do this. Interesting and good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Craigellachie 11yo

Craigellachie 11yo 

Soho Selection, Milroys of Soho
Single malt - Speyside
Amber copper
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, cloves, black pepper, raisins, hints of gooseberries. With water, strawberry jam, cocoa nibs, black pepper, yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, airy, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Gooseberries, white grapes, cocoa nibs, lemon zest, milk chocolate, hints of butterscotch. With water, toffee, butterscotch, cocoa nibs, black pepper.
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, lemon zest, milk chocolate, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Very toffee’d whisky, plenty of fruity notes as well water opens it up to more toffee, jammy notes on the nose, and milky butterscotch on the tongue. All throughout there’s plenty of black pepper and chocolate.

Verdict:

I like this.

Craigellachie 27yo 1973/2000

Craigellachie 27yo 1973/2000

Vintage Hallmark, Hallmark of St James

Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold 
50.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, malted grains, marmalade, sarsaparilla, raisins, orange peel, cloves, cocoa nibs. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, cool, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Orange peel, fresh baked bread, cocoa nibs, chocolate, butterscotch, raisins, apricot jam, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, chocolate, coffee, raisins, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Quite savoury for a Craigellachie. Lots of fruit and butterscotch, and plenty of cocoa as well. It tastes quite old too, flavours blending well into each other. Really quite luscious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Craigellachie 15yo 2006/2022

Craigellachie 15yo 2006/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside 
Straw
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, honey, dried apricots, hay, quince jelly, cream, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, lemon zest, malted grains, hay, hoppy beer, white pepper, candied ginger, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. Hoppy beer, lemon zest, malted grains, honey, hints of quince jelly. 

Comments: 

Lovely Craigellachie, spicy and sweet and citrusy, but with a well-defined malty spine. It’s well-crafted and well-aged. The flavours do indeed explode in the mouth. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Craigellachie 8yo 2008/2016

Craigellachie 8yo 2008/2016

Benchmark, Murray McDavid
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber gold
46% ABV
Bottle 

Nose: Molasses, pineapples, butter, orange peel, tyre rubber, fried eggs, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, slippery, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fried eggs, tyre rubber, honey, butter, sour cream, pineapples, orange peel, hints of plums. 
Finish: Medium. Pineapples, damson jam, raisins, tyre rubber, hints of molasses. 

Comments: 

Cask 6001855 and Cask 600855. A typical run cask finished whisky in some ways, there’s a strong flavour of molasses and tyre rubber, which is not unpleasant. The Craigellachie pineapple is there underneath, intensifying slightly in the finish to damson jam and raisins. Overall a decent bottle. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Craigellachie 13yo

Craigellachie 13yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, barley sugar, orange peel, fresh cut grass, bananas, hints of roast pork.  
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, hot, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh baked bread, bananas, black tea, waffles, barley sugar, orange peel, peanuts.  
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, fresh baked bread, waffles, vanilla.  

Comments: 

Malty and fruity expression of Craigellachie. I didn’t find the classic pineapple notes in this one though. It’s still fruity and has some complexity, but it’s different from the ‘normal’ official style. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Craigellachie 31yo

Craigellachie 31yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden beeswax 
52.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, pineapples, apple juice, honey, lemon zest, peaches, hints of wax. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, warm, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Brown paper, candle wax, toast, cinnamon, pineapples, peaches, apples.

Finish: Medium. Black tea, toast, pineapples, peaches, apples. 

Comments: 

Thanks Eddie for the taste. This is a newish addition to Craigellachie’s core range, and is what you might call ‘classic’. Heaps of pineapple, smoked, baked, along with plenty of other fruity notes, melded together into a harmonious whole. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Craigellachie 17yo 1974/1991

Craigellachie 17yo 1974/1991

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, rose apples, honey, pears, malted grains, mint, tobacco leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Pineapples, cloves, honey, peaches, pears, brown paper, white pepper.  

Finish: Medium. Black tea, cloves, pears, peaches. 

Comments: 

Thanks Eddie for the taste. This is magnificent stuff, heaps of spice and pineapples, and it wears its age lightly - very little old bottle effect. Very intense, classic Craigellachie. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Craigellachie 9yo 2009/2018

Craigellachie 9yo 2009/2018

Small Batch, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Light gold
55.1% ABV
Tiny taste

Nose: Mushrooms, soy sauce, white pepper, carrot cake, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Mushrooms, carrots, leather, soy sauce, sea salt, hints of lemon. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, peat, mushrooms, leather, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

Well, this is earthy and mushroomy, with plenty of salty, bitter notes. It's unlike any Craigellachie that I've ever had, and I had to double check to make sure this wasn't a Bunnahabhain. Thanks to Ciaran for the sample.

Verdict:

I like this.

Frisky Whisky Craigellachie 8yo 2002/2010

Frisky Whisky Craigellachie 8yo 2002/2010

Frisky Whisky, John Milroy
Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
60.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Salt caramel, candied pineapples, raisins, vanilla, honey. With water, sweeter, salt caramel, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, vanilla, pineapples, dulce de leche, hints of milk chocolate. With water, sweeter, butter, chocolate, salt caramel. 
Finish: Long. Dulce de leche, oolong tea, milk chocolate, honey. 

Comments: 

A cracker of a Craigellachie, this fairly young whisky nevertheless has great complexity. The slightly salty, sweet butteriness goes incredibly well with the luscious candied pineapple notes. A little water goes a long way here, not too much.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Craigellachie Fire 12yo 2006/2018

Craigellachie Fire 12yo 2006/2018

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
53.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, raisins, red grapes, butterscotch, honey, hints of marzipan. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peanuts, red grapes, raisins, apples, black tea, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, black tea, apples, vanilla, red grapes. 

Comments: 

Smooth as silk, sweet as sin. Slight tannic notes on the tongue and finish, perhaps a little jarring after the lovely buttery notes on the nose. Still delicious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Craigellachie 8 yo 2006/2015

Craigellachie 8 yo 2006/2015

Strictly Limited, Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brass polish, raisins, white grapes, apples, chocolate, hints of coffee . 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, astringent, tingly . 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, white grapes, coffee, apples, walnuts, hints of driftwood. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, olive oil, driftwood, apples. 

Comments: 

Oof. Nice and complex, many flavours warring with each other. Quite tannic, with the bitter notes jarring slightly with the sweet estery fruit. Maybe it's meant to be this way, balance is not always good. I approve.

Verdict:

I like this.

Craigellachie 21 yo 1995/2016

Craigellachie 21 yo 1995/2016

Malts of Scotland
Single malt - Speyside
Amber, tinge of green
52.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh cut grass, raisins, malted grains, white grapes, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Fresh cut grass, fresh baked bread, white grapes, apples, toast, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Short. White grapes, apples, lemon zest, rhubarb. 

Comments: 

Fresh and fragrant, cut with malted grains and many, many fruity notes. It tastes young, unaged, less fusty than many other aged whiskies. Nevertheless it's attained a complexity commensurate with its true age. Very nice, if a little short on the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Craigellachie 17 yo

Craigellachie 17 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, yoghurt, egg white, toffee, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, mouth coating, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Green tea, toffee, meringues, toast, chocolate, hints of leather. 
Finish: Long. Meringues, chocolate, orange peel, green tea. 

Comments: 

This whisky is eggy and rubbery, with a substantial sulphur note. Chocolatey and slightly tannic too. I haven't tried the official bottlings of Craigellachie until this one, but it's... strange, not to my taste. Eggy whiskies should be sweeter.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 44.63 (Craigellachie 15 yo 1999/2015)

SMWS 44.63 (Craigellachie 15 yo 1999/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single grain - Speyside
White wine
55.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, apricots, prunes, orange peel, white pepper, hints of strawberry yoghurt. With water, more sour, green papaya, lemon zest.
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, slippery, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Peaches, apricots, prunes, pears, vanilla, white pepper. With water, vanilla, lemon zest, orange juice, more pears.
Finish: Medium. White pepper, pears, peaches, apricots.

Comments:

Fruity, peppery, and some very slight hints of rancio that remind me of good strawberry yoghurt. With water it opens up, becoming more tart, lots of lemon zest and even pickled papaya. I didn't feel that this was aged enough - fruit is all very well but it's a bit one dimensional. That doesn't really come out from the tasting notes, but it was harder work than usual. Still, good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 44.26 (Craigellachie 22 yo 1982/2005)

SMWS 44.26 (Craigellachie 22 yo 1982/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
60.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, pears, magic marker, vanilla, apple juice, leather, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens quickly, hot, volatile.
Tasting: Sweet. Plums, pears, vanilla, bread, caramel, leather, peat, hints of new plastic.
Finish: Medium. Plums, butter, bread.

Comments:

60.5% at 22 years old? This cask must have been in the middle of the pile! Lots of bread and caramel, but not quite buttery enough to be described as "stroopwafel", as it is on the bottle. Pleasant and drinkable, a decent dessert whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 44.29 Heaven's Leak (Craigellachie 11 yo 1996/2007)

SMWS 44.29 Heaven's Leak (Craigellachie 11 yo 1996/2007)

2007, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brassy, raisins, orange peel, lemon juice, hints of rhubarb and rum.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loose, turns watery, soft.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Orange peel, lemons, brass polish, dried coconut, raisins, butter, hints of rum.
Finish: Long. Hot, spicy, rum, lemons.

Comments:

This dram is confusing. It tastes very much like Rosebank, with perhaps a little too much brass. It's not unpleasant, but it's almost metallic, and I don't like that particular flavour too much.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 44.38 (Craigellachie 9 yo 1999/2008)

SMWS 44.38 (Craigellachie 9 yo 1999/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Pink gold
61.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Caramel, butter, toffee, honey, honeycomb, raisins, treacle.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, turns watery, very loose.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Apples, chocolate, vanilla, butter, raisins, oak.
Finish: Medium. Oak, chocolate, vanilla, apples.

Comments:

Sweet, some fruit, a little like fruit cake with some wine on the side. Not particularly interesting, slightly too appley. Not objectionable though. Not my type of mouthfeel. 26 November wasn't a good night for whisky.

Verdict:

Not bad.