Cragganmore The Distillers Edition 13 Years Old 2000

An official release of Cragganmore, a 13 year old, from 2000, cask CggD-6565, at 40%. Cragganmore was founded in 1869 by the master distiller John Smith, the first distillery built to use the railway. Water comes from the Craggan Burn, off the slopes of Craggan More hill.

Worked through flat topped stills and worm tubs for a meaty, fragrant spirit, giving the meaty, malty spirit at its heart. A European oak cask added a clove and a dried fruit spice. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper orchard fruit over the meaty malt. A Port wood finish, the Distillers Edition style, adds plum and dark berry to the malt. It was the first distillery deliberately sited beside a railway, the Strathspey line carrying its whisky out. The distillery sits at Ballindalloch on the River Spey, in the heart of Speyside.

At 40% it is gentle, sweet and fruity. Dried fruit, malt and a savoury, fragrant depth, with plum, red berry and chocolate from the cask. Dried fruit, malt and a herbal spice fill the middle. The finish is long, complex and savoury. This is the complex Speyside Classic Malt of Cragganmore.