Craigellachie 10 Years Old Single Minded (Douglas Laing)

A Craigellachie of a 10 year old chosen by the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, bottled at 43%. Craigellachie, where the Fiddich meets the Spey, is the meaty backbone of the White Horse blend. The official range runs a thirteen, seventeen and twenty three year old, with rare older bottlings.

The spirit was worked through stills and worm tubs for a muscular, oily spirit, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the heavy spirit. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper, tropical fruit over the meaty malt. The oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and tropical fruit over a meaty malt. The meaty, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its robust, worm tub weight. Bacardi's John Dewar and Sons bought it in 1998, alongside Aberfeldy, Aultmore and Royal Brackla.

At an approachable 43% it is soft and easy. A heavy, oily maltiness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A dried fruit and a savoury, oily depth give it weight. It finishes robust, waxy and warm. This is Craigellachie, the meaty heart of White Horse.