Craigellachie 9 Years Old 2008 Cask #900615 (Signatory)

From the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, a 9 year old Craigellachie, distilled in 2008, from cask 900615, bottled at 49.7%, one of 772 bottles. Craigellachie is a robust, oily Speyside single malt made on worm tub condensers. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

The spirit was drawn off pot stills cooled by traditional worm tubs, for the muscular, meaty make Craigellachie is known for. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut to the robust spirit. At an extractive age eugenol lends a clove note and lactones a coconut, the spirit heavy, oily and robust. Long ageing turns the young, sulphurous spirit towards mango, wax and a warm spice. Refill oak lets the muscular Craigellachie character lead, malt and tropical fruit beneath. The distillery was founded in 1891 by a group led by Peter Mackie, the man behind the White Horse blend.

At 49.7%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Tropical fruit, malt and a warm spice, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The close is long, fruit over a meaty malt. This is a meaty, tropical Speyside single malt.