Craigellachie 12 Years Old (Original Collection)

A Craigellachie of a 12 year old chosen by Scotland's oldest independent bottler Cadenhead's, bottled at 46%. Craigellachie was founded in 1891 by a consortium led by Peter Mackie of White Horse fame. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight.

The spirit was distilled for the heavy, meaty spirit Craigellachie is known for, to build a robust, sulphurous, full bodied character. A Pedro Ximenez cask added raisin, date and a treacle sweetness. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper, tropical fruit over the meaty malt. Years in oak round the spirit, the worm tub weight turning to pineapple and wax. The oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and tropical fruit over a meaty malt. Craigellachie is one of the last Speyside malts still built on worm tubs. The distillery was founded in 1891 by a group led by Peter Mackie, the man behind the White Horse blend.

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. A robust, malty finish ends on tropical fruit and a warm spice. This is a meaty, tropical Speyside single malt.