Craigellachie 13 Years Old 2008 Cask #7535729 (Duncan Taylor)

This Craigellachie was bottled by the Huntly bottler Duncan Taylor, a 13 year old, distilled in 2008, from cask 7535729, bottled at 53.9%, one of 75 bottles. Craigellachie was built in 1891 and is one of the few distilleries still using worm tubs. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight.

It was distilled in copper stills with worm tub condensers on Blue Hill spring water, for an oily, robust make that turns tropical with age. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, vanilla and a tropical fruit over the meaty spirit. By the integrating teens the sulphur fades and esters build, pineapple and wax growing over the oily spirit. The heavy, oily make is prized by blenders for the backbone it gives White Horse. A big sherry cask suits the muscular spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the young sulphur fading to fruit.

At a hearty 53.9% it carries real weight. Meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is heavy and oily, the fruit carried on a meaty body. The close is long, fruit over a meaty malt. This is an oily, tropical Speyside single malt.