Craigellachie 10 Years Old 2011 Cask #75900020 (Duncan Taylor)

The Huntly bottler Duncan Taylor bottled this Craigellachie, a 10 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask 75900020, bottled at 54.1%, one of 390 bottles. Craigellachie is a robust, oily Speyside single malt made on worm tub condensers. Water comes from a local spring in the Blue Hill area above the village.

The spirit was run through the distillery's stills and old fashioned worm tubs, to build a robust, sulphurous, full bodied character. A sherry cask wrapped the muscular spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the malt, the worm tub weight softening to tropical fruit. Refill oak lets the muscular Craigellachie character lead, malt and tropical fruit beneath. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

At 54.1%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Tropical fruit, malt and a warm spice, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The finish is long, oily and savoury. This is Craigellachie, the meaty heart of White Horse.