Craigellachie Exceptional Cask Series 23 Years Old 1999

An official release of Craigellachie, a 23 year old, from 1999, cask 1, at 55.1%, 606 bottles in all. Craigellachie sits above Telford's famous Spey bridge, a Speyside distillery of real muscle. Water comes from a local spring in the Blue Hill area above the village.

Drawn off pot stills cooled by traditional worm tubs, for a bold, meaty Speyside spirit. A Pedro Ximenez cask added raisin, date and a treacle sweetness. Oxidative, evaporative ageing turns the malt deep and waxy, ethereal esters and a faint sotolon (maple). The robust make rewards long ageing, the meatiness giving way to tropical fruit. The meaty, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its robust, worm tub weight. Refill oak lets the muscular Craigellachie character lead, malt and tropical fruit beneath. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the meaty malt.

At 55.1%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Tropical fruit, malt and a warm spice, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Pineapple, malt and a savoury wax fill the middle. The finish is long, oily and savoury. This is one of Speyside's most robust single malts.