Craigellachie 11 Years Old 2007 (Small Batch)

From Scotland's oldest independent bottler Cadenhead's, an 11 year old Craigellachie, distilled in 2007, bottled at 54%, one of 834 bottles. Craigellachie was built in 1891 and is one of the few distilleries still using worm tubs. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight.

It was made in copper stills whose worm tubs build a robust make, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla and pineapple beneath the muscular malt. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the malt, the robust body turning fruitier. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the young sulphur fading to fruit. Its malt has long been the muscular heart of the White Horse blend. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

At a natural 54% it is full and honeyed. Meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. A long, oily finish carries a tropical depth. This is Craigellachie, the meaty heart of White Horse.