Craigellachie 10 Years Old 2010 Cask #900150 (Morrison and MacKay)

A 10 year old Craigellachie from the bottler Morrison and MacKay, distilled in 2010, from cask 900150, bottled at 50%. Craigellachie sits above Telford's famous Spey bridge, a Speyside distillery of real muscle. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight.

The spirit was distilled for the heavy, meaty spirit Craigellachie is known for, for an oily, robust make that turns tropical with age. A Madeira cask added raisin and a caramelised nuttiness. By the integrating teens the sulphur fades and esters build, pineapple and wax growing over the oily spirit. Long ageing turns the young, sulphurous spirit towards mango, wax and a warm spice. Worm tubs give little copper contact, so the new spirit is robust and full, mellowing to tropical fruit with age. It was launched as a single malt brand in 2014, with a bare knuckle, old fashioned image.

At a hearty 50% it carries real weight. Meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil, with red berry and a dry spice from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The finish runs meaty, waxy and warm. This is the muscular, meaty Speyside malt of Craigellachie.