Cragganmore 14 Years Old (47.5%)

Cragganmore from the distillery, a 14 year old, at 47.5%, 4987 bottles in all. Cragganmore, the Speyside Classic Malt, is prized for one of the most complex characters in the region. Worm tub condensers give the spirit a meaty weight, balanced by the reflux of the flat topped stills.

It was drawn off flat topped stills cooled by worm tubs, for a meaty, fragrant make of real depth. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla beneath the savoury, malty character. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the malt, fruit deepening to dried fruit. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit over a savoury malt. Most Cragganmore goes quietly into blends like Old Parr, a little kept as single malt. Worm tubs gave the new spirit its weight, the cask then drawing out fruit and depth. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the flat topped stills' complexity deepening.

At a hearty 47.5% it carries real weight. Malt, dried fruit and a herbal spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is full and complex, the fruit lifted by a meaty malt. The finish is deep, fragrant and savoury. This is Cragganmore's fragrant, meaty Speyside style.