Cragganmore 14 Years Old 2002 (SMWS 37.93)

This Cragganmore was bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a 14 year old, distilled in 2002, from cask 37.93, bottled at 58.2%, one of 266 bottles. Cragganmore, on the River Spey at Ballindalloch, is the heart malt of the Old Parr blend. Most of its make goes to blending, with a twelve year old the flagship single malt.

Run through the distillery's unusual flat topped wide neck stills, for a meaty, fragrant make of real depth. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the fragrant character to the fore. By the integrating teens congeners fade and esters build, the complex, fragrant spirit growing rounder. Most Cragganmore goes quietly into blends like Old Parr, a little kept as single malt. A Port wood finish, the Distillers Edition style, adds plum and dark berry to the malt. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the fragrant, savoury core over the years.

At a hearty 58.2% it carries real weight. A rich, complex maltiness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is fragrant and savoury, the complex spirit shining through. A long, fragrant finish carries a savoury depth. This is Cragganmore's fragrant, meaty Speyside style.