Craigellachie 16 Years Old 2007 No. 227 (Maltbarn)

This Craigellachie was bottled by the bottler Maltbarn, a 16 year old, distilled in 2007, bottled at 53.1%, one of 333 bottles. Craigellachie is the bold, oily Speyside malt that anchors the White Horse blend. Its malt has long been the muscular heart of the White Horse blend.

Distilled for the heavy, meaty spirit Craigellachie is known for, for an oily, robust make that turns tropical with age. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding vanilla and a waxy tropical fruit. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (pineapple and mango) over the oily, meaty depth. Craigellachie is one of the last Speyside malts still built on worm tubs. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight. The meaty, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its robust, worm tub weight. Long ageing turns the young, sulphurous spirit towards mango, wax and a warm spice.

At cask strength 53.1% it is full bodied. A heavy, oily maltiness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is robust and waxy, the muscular spirit shining through. The finish runs meaty, waxy and warm. This is one of Speyside's most robust single malts.