Cragganmore 20 Years Old

A 20 year old Cragganmore, a distillery bottling, at 55.8%. Cragganmore is a meaty, fragrant Speyside malt made on flat topped stills and worm tubs. Most of its make goes to blending, with a twelve year old the flagship single malt.

It was distilled for the complex, fragrant spirit Cragganmore is known for, to build a complex, savoury, fragrant character. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding a light honeyed vanilla. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (apple and dried fruit) over the meaty, malty depth. Years in oak round the spirit, the fruit deepening to dried fruit and a savoury spice. Worm tub condensers give the spirit a meaty weight, balanced by the reflux of the flat topped stills. Water comes from the Craggan Burn, off the slopes of Craggan More hill. It was chosen in 1988 as the Speyside member of Diageo's original Classic Malts.

At its natural 55.8% it is concentrated. Baked fruit, honey and a savoury depth, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is fragrant and savoury, the complex spirit shining through. The finish is long, complex and savoury. This is the savoury, complex malt of Ballindalloch.