Craigellachie 19 Years Old Cask #Batch 04-6137

A 19 year old Craigellachie, a distillery bottling, cask Batch 04-6137, at 46%. Craigellachie is an old fashioned Speyside malt, full bodied and sulphurous in youth, tropical with age. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight.

It was run through the distillery's stills and old fashioned worm tubs, to build a robust, sulphurous, full bodied character. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut to the robust spirit. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, the worm tub weight turning to mango and a waxy depth. The oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and tropical fruit over a meaty malt. It was rebuilt in 1965, but kept its worm tubs where most distilleries dropped them. It was launched as a single malt brand in 2014, with a bare knuckle, old fashioned image. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

At an approachable 46% it is soft and easy. A heavy, oily maltiness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It is robust and waxy, the muscular spirit shining through. The finish runs meaty, waxy and warm. This is Craigellachie, the meaty heart of White Horse.