Craigellachie 11 Years Old 2007 Cask #70900706 (The Taste of Whisky)

A Craigellachie of an 11 year old chosen by the bottler The Taste of Whisky, distilled in 2007, from cask 70900706, bottled at 65.2%, one of 201 bottles. Craigellachie, where the Fiddich meets the Spey, is the meaty backbone of the White Horse blend. The distillery was founded in 1891 by a group led by Peter Mackie, the man behind the White Horse blend.

Worked through stills and worm tubs for a muscular, oily spirit, for the muscular, meaty make Craigellachie is known for. A bourbon barrel held it, vanilla and a soft spice over the oily malt. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the malt, the robust body turning fruitier. Craigellachie is one of the last Speyside malts still built on worm tubs. It was rebuilt in 1965, but kept its worm tubs where most distilleries dropped them. The meaty, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its robust, worm tub weight.

At cask strength 65.2% it is full bodied. A robust, oily fruitiness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is robust and waxy, the muscular spirit shining through. A long, oily finish carries a tropical depth. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real character.