Cragganmore 1972

Cragganmore 1972

Original Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside 
Light amber
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, honey, malted grains, vanilla, roast chicken, white pepper, hints of camphor. With water, honey, white grapes, roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, clay dust, white grapes, gooseberries, roast chicken, toffee, sandalwood, camphor. With water, malted grains, grapefruit, honey. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, cinnamon, white grapes, honey. 

Comments: 

Lighter and looser than the Creditable, but instead, sweeter and a meatier texture. There’s also some dustiness and a long honeyed citrusy finish. I love this sort of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Creditable 25yo 1975/2001

Creditable 25yo 1975/2001

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast chicken, white grapes, malted grains, white wine, fresh cut grass, honey. With water, white grapes, honey, candle wax, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Honey, white grapes, raisins, white wine, candle wax, malted grains, walnut skins. With water, candle wax, white grapes, grapefruit. 
Finish: Long. Candle wax, white grapes, malted grains, walnut skins. 

Comments: 

An old Cragganmore, both in age statement and time in the bottle. It’s very waxy, almost Clynelish-ey, and there’s a slightly bitter, nutty note that covers it all. Water brings out more wax, and a bit more sweetness and bitterness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cragganmore 29yo 1973/2003 (Special Releases 2003)

Cragganmore 29yo 1973/2003 (Special Releases 2003)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Bright gold
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papayas, nectarines, pineapples, malted grains, magic marker, pear drops. With water, papayas, leather, celery salt, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, expands, turns airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Hoppy beer, malted grains, leather, celery salt, nectarines, magic marker, ginseng, vanilla. With water, ginseng, hoppy beer, cookie dough, nectarines. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, hoppy beer, ginseng, pineapples. 

Comments: 

Lovely old bottle effect in this dram. It’s fruity, lots of white and tropical fruit, before the powerful malty spine comes through. Throughout there are flecks of celery salt and leather, the classic old bottle effect. Rather delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cragganmore 18yo 1961/1979

Cragganmore 18yo 1961/1979

Dumpy, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 

Golden brown 
45.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, nectarines, gentian, leather, orange peel, fresh baked bread, hints of peaches. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Nectarines, leather, gentian, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread, black pepper, raisins, hints of winter melon. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, dark chocolate, honey, peaches, hints of butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Such a treat, many thanks, Fred! Long, smooth and flavoursome, this whisky goes on for hours. I could still taste this whisky the next day. Sweet, chock full of the best old bottle effect, but cut with alpine herbs and gentle fruit. Amazing stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cragganmore 25yo 1995/2021

Cragganmore 25yo 1995/2021

Old & Rare, Hunter Laing
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber gold
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, raisins, marmalade, winter melon, honeycomb, oolong tea. With water, fresh baked bread, white grapes, winter melon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Winter melon, strawberry jam, raisins, honeycomb, cinder toffee, pencil lead, hints of sandalwood. With water, cinder toffee, winter melon, honeycomb, oolong tea. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, honeycomb, fresh baked bread, oolong tea, hints of cloves. 

Comments: 

Quite a savoury whisky for a supposed sherry bomb. Lots of lemon and some sulphurous pencil lead. Lots of cereal, sweetness and spice on the finish, but even that is tinged with a touch of bitter and salt.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cragganmore 29yo 1979/2003 (2003 Special Releases)

Cragganmore 29yo 1979/2003 (2003 Special Releases)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Sunshine yellow 
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pineapples, guava, candle wax, linseed oil, leather, honey, hints of autumn leaves. With water, marshmallows, mangoes, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, oily, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Leather, guava, orange peel, linseed oil, honey, ginseng, lemon sweets, fresh baked bread. With water, lemon sweets, autumn leaves, leather, mangoes, pineapples. 
Finish: Long. Guava, kiwifruit, leather, orange peel, candle wax. 

Comments: 

Wow! A wonderful whisky, heaped with fruits, and a leather slug of old bottle effect. With water it’s quite sweet, and pillowy soft vanilla marshmallows. Possibly the best Cragganmore I’ve ever had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cragganmore 12yo (bottled 1980s)

Cragganmore 12yo (bottled 1980s)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Greengages, leather, gooseberries, apricots, pears, white grapes, hints of peat. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, turns watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apricots, leather, gooseberries, grilled meat, orange peel, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Orange peel, apricots, smoke, grilled meat, sultanas. 

Comments: 

Well now, this is different from the newer 12yo. There’s an edge of smoke, and a touch of leathery peat, with a delicious grilled meat note. It’s like munching sultanas in a kebab shop. Highly enjoyable, and I believe bottles are still widely available and affordable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cragganmore 25yo

Cragganmore 25yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Heather honey, red grapes, white grapes, candle wax, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Honey, white grapes, gooseberries, candle wax, toast, orange peel. 
Finish: Long. Candied oranges, white grapes, toast, hints of pears. 

Comments: 

A fine, well-balanced dram. There aren't a lot of layers here, but the whisky is delicious. The fruity notes are tangy and intense, with a waxy layer very reminiscent of a good Clynelish - which, of course, this is not. Mmmmm.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Cragganmore 13 yo 1999/2013

Cragganmore 13 yo 1999/2013

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
54.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, raisins, lemon zest, chocolate, white grapes, hints of brass polish. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens slightly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Lemon zest, malted grains, walnuts, green tea, white grapes, hints of cardamom. 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, brass polish, lemon zest, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

Sweet, but with a robust bitter edge - walnuts, green tea, cardamom, maybe even some ginseng. Lots of tart notes to this, with maybe just a hint of sourness. Warming and delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 37.70 (Cragganmore 15 yo 2000/2015)

SMWS 37.70 (Cragganmore 15 yo 2000/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Silver gold, tinge of red
56.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cloves, raisins, sandalwood, preserved limes, golden syrup, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Candied oranges, preserved limes, cloves, leather, hay, hints of green apples. 
Finish: Short. Grapefruit, ginseng, green apples, cloves. 

Comments: 

Quite bitter, but not with that mouth-puckering ginseng note (well, at least not until the finish) that a lot of whiskies have. This is more grapefruit and apple peel, with something of that note you get when you chew whole cloves. Fragrant, enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cragganmore 12 yo Distiller's Edition 2000/2013

Cragganmore 12 yo Distiller's Edition 2000/2013

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Copper
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, vanilla, malted grains, tomato juice, cookie dough, oranges, lemons.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, chewy, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet sour . Oranges, peaches, tomato juice, pears, apricots, hay, hints of walnuts.
Finish: Long. Peaches, pears, tamarind, hay, walnuts.

Comments:

Odd whisky. I can definitely taste the port pipe it was matured in, but there's grassy, slightly woody notes, alongside with some fruity savoury (tomatoey!) notes. No change when one adds water. I categorise this one as one of those where the nose doesn't quite match the taste.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 37.30 (Cragganmore 28 yo 1978/2006)

SMWS 37.30 (Cragganmore 28 yo 1978/2006)

2006, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Bright yellow
56.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apricots, pears, honey, cedar wood, butter, rosemary, hints of lemons, hints of brown paper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, thickens slightly.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Apricots, pears, strawberries, rosemary, honey, hints of brown paper, hints of lemons.
Finish: Medium. Apricots, rosemary, lemons, brown paper.

Comments:

Aromatic, like perfume. Lovely apricot notes, luscious and rich. Very tasty whisky, would be an excellent digestif.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 37.43 (Cragganmore 15 yo 1993/2008)

SMWS 37.43 (Cragganmore 15 yo 1993/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Red rose
60.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, plums, coca cola, demerara sugar, hints of raisins, hints of apples. With water, gets more chocolatey, more apples.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, turns slightly watery.
Tasting: Sweet. Plums, coca cola, roast ham, cloves, cinnamon, raisins, hints of rum, hints of chocolate. With water, gets sweeter, more chocolate, stewed plums
Finish: Long. Sweet, plums, coca cola.

Comments:

A little like cherry coke perhaps? Or Nigella Lawson's coke-braised ham? Quite interesting, without water. Once the water is added it becomes more familiar, with more chocolate and fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 37.28 (Cragganmore 19 yo 1986/2005)

SMWS 37.28 (Cragganmore 19 yo 1986/2005)

SMWS 2008
Single malt - Speyside
Pink gold
58.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, tamarind, sour plums, cinnamon, nutmeg, hints of chilli, hints of rose.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, oily.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Butter, rose, tamarind, plums,hints of oranges, hints of lemons.
Finish: Long. Orange juice, red grape juice.

Comments:

The kind folks behind the bar at the SMWS let me try a sister 18 yo as well before settling on this one. Fragrant and fruity. I like the not so subtle hints of rose in the nose, which suddenly exploded into my mouth as I took a sip. Very nice, heavy mouthfeel. A real pleasure to drink.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Cragganmore 12 yo

Cragganmore 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
40% ABV
Mini

Nose: Chocolate, walnuts, malty beer, iodine, hints of apples, hints of raisins, hints of oak.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thin, quite watery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peat, apples, glace cherries, leather, coffee, hints of metal polish, hints of smoke.
Finish: Long. Pineapples, spicy.

Comments:

Interesting Speyside. There's a lot going on in the whisky, but I can't help thinking that the flagship official bottling is under strength. I like the coffee notes in the mouth (as well as the metal polish... what does that say about my palate?), they go quite well with the fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.