Cragganmore Diageo Special Releases 2006 17 Years Old 1988

A 17 year old Cragganmore, a distillery bottling, from 1988, at 55.5%, 5970 bottles in all. Cragganmore is a fragrant, complex Speyside single malt from Ballindalloch on the Spey. It was chosen in 1988 as the Speyside member of Diageo's original Classic Malts.

It was made in copper stills whose flat tops build a complex make, for a meaty, fragrant make of real depth. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the fragrant character to the fore. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, fruit turning to dried fruit over a complex, malty body. The complex, fragrant spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its meaty, malty core. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the fragrant, savoury core over the years. The Distillers Edition is finished in Port wood, the house double matured expression. Refill oak lets the complex Cragganmore character lead, malt and dried fruit beneath.

At cask strength 55.5% it is full bodied. Apple, dried fruit and a meaty edge, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is fragrant and savoury, the complex spirit shining through. The finish runs fragrant, meaty and warm. This is the complex Speyside Classic Malt of Cragganmore.