Craigellachie 11 Years Old 2010 Cask #DL 14836 (Old Particular)

An 11 year old Craigellachie from the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, distilled in 2010, from cask DL 14836, bottled at 57.7%, one of 246 bottles. Craigellachie is a robust, oily Speyside single malt made on worm tub condensers. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight.

It was made in copper stills whose worm tubs build a robust make, for a bold, meaty Speyside spirit. A bourbon barrel held it, vanilla and a soft spice over the oily malt. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the malt, the worm tub weight softening to tropical fruit. Long ageing turns the young, sulphurous spirit towards mango, wax and a warm spice. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the oily, tropical core over the years. Worm tubs give little copper contact, so the new spirit is heavy and full, mellowing with time.

At 57.7%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is robust and waxy, the muscular spirit shining through. The finish is deep, oily and savoury. This is the muscular, meaty Speyside malt of Craigellachie.