Craigellachie 11 Years Old 2011 Cask #180015 (Murray McDavid)

A Craigellachie of an 11 year old chosen by the independent Murray McDavid, distilled in 2011, from cask 180015, bottled at 59.1%, one of 338 bottles. Craigellachie sits above Telford's famous Spey bridge, a Speyside distillery of real muscle. Bacardi's John Dewar and Sons bought it in 1998, alongside Aberfeldy, Aultmore and Royal Brackla.

It was distilled in copper stills with worm tub condensers on Blue Hill spring water, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness to the heavy, meaty malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper, tropical fruit over the meaty malt. The meaty, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its robust, worm tub weight. The distillery was founded in 1891 by a group led by Peter Mackie, the man behind the White Horse blend.

Bottled at a cask strength 59.1%, it is rich. A muscular, waxy sweetness, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Soft tropical fruit and a waxy malt sit behind the cask. The finish runs meaty, waxy and warm. This is a meaty, tropical Speyside single malt.