Craigellachie 12 Years Old 2006 (Hepburn’s Choice)

A 12 year old Craigellachie from the independent Hunter Laing, distilled in 2006, bottled at 46%, one of 170 bottles. Craigellachie, where the Fiddich meets the Spey, is the meaty backbone of the White Horse blend. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

The spirit was worked through stills and worm tubs for a muscular, oily spirit, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. Maturation in an Oloroso cask laid dried fruit over the meaty, oily malt. By the integrating teens the sulphur fades and esters build, pineapple and wax growing over the oily spirit. The robust make rewards long ageing, the meatiness giving way to tropical fruit. Long ageing turns the young, sulphurous spirit towards mango, wax and a warm spice. Most Craigellachie goes quietly into blends, a robust filler kept in part as single malt. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the young sulphur fading to fruit.

At 46% it is clean and soft. A heavy, oily maltiness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The close is long, fruit over a meaty malt. This is Craigellachie, the meaty heart of White Horse.