Craigellachie 16 Years Old 1978 Cask #7704 (Dun Eideann)

This Craigellachie was bottled by the bottler Dun Eideann, a 16 year old, distilled in 1978, from cask 7704, bottled at 43%. 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.

Made in copper stills whose worm tubs build a robust make, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the heavy spirit. In the oxidative middle years oxidation draws out a deeper tropical fruit, vanillin and lactones fully expressed. Worm tubs give little copper contact, so the new spirit is heavy and full, mellowing with time. Worm tubs give little copper contact, so the new spirit is robust and full, mellowing to tropical fruit with age. Craigellachie is one of the last Speyside malts still built on worm tubs. It sits at the village of Craigellachie, where the River Fiddich joins the Spey by Telford's iron bridge.

At 43% it is clean and soft. Mango, wax and a meaty depth, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The close is long, fruit over a meaty malt. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real character.