Cragganmore The Distillers Edition 12 Years Old 2004

Cragganmore from the distillery, a 12 year old, from 2004, cask CggD-6568, at 40%. Cragganmore, on the River Spey at Ballindalloch, is the heart malt of the Old Parr blend. Worm tub condensers give the spirit a meaty weight, balanced by the reflux of the flat topped stills.

It was distilled in flat topped stills with worm tub condensers on Craggan Burn water, building the distinctive Cragganmore style. A Port cask finish wrapped the malt in plum and red berry, the Distillers Edition style. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper orchard fruit over the meaty malt. The complex, fragrant spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its meaty, malty core. Worm tubs gave the new spirit its weight, the cask then drawing out fruit and depth. Cragganmore is reckoned among the most complex of all the Speyside malts.

At an approachable 40% it is soft and easy. Baked fruit, honey and a savoury depth, with plum, red berry and chocolate from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. A full, malty finish ends on dried fruit and a warm spice. This is Cragganmore's fragrant, meaty Speyside style.