Craigellachie 11 Years Old 2000 Cask #150 (James MacArthur)

From the bottler James MacArthur, an 11 year old Craigellachie, distilled in 2000, from cask 150, bottled at 57.3%. Craigellachie was founded in 1891 by a consortium led by Peter Mackie of White Horse fame. It sits at the village of Craigellachie, where the River Fiddich joins the Spey by Telford's iron bridge.

Drawn off pot stills cooled by traditional worm tubs, for a bold, meaty Speyside spirit. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding vanilla and a waxy tropical fruit. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the malt, the worm tub weight softening to tropical fruit. The robust make rewards long ageing, the meatiness giving way to tropical fruit. Refill oak lets the muscular Craigellachie character lead, malt and tropical fruit beneath. The official range runs a thirteen, seventeen and twenty three year old, with rare older bottlings.

Bottled at a cask strength 57.3%, it is rich. Meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A dried fruit and a savoury, oily depth give it weight. A robust, malty finish ends on tropical fruit and a warm spice. This is a meaty, tropical Speyside single malt.