Craigellachie 12 Years Old TDAr (The Distillers Art)

A Craigellachie of a 12 year old chosen by the bottler The Distillers Art, from cask 314817, bottled at 59.2%, one of 257 bottles. Craigellachie was founded in 1891 by a consortium led by Peter Mackie of White Horse fame. Water comes from a local spring in the Blue Hill area above the village.

It was distilled for the heavy, meaty spirit Craigellachie is known for, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the heavy spirit. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the malt, the robust body turning fruitier. A big sherry cask suits the muscular spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight. The oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and tropical fruit over a meaty malt. With age the meaty young spirit turns to pineapple, mango and a waxy depth. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

At its natural 59.2% it is concentrated. Mango, wax and a meaty depth, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is heavy and oily, the fruit carried on a meaty body. The finish is deep, oily and savoury. This is an oily, tropical Speyside single malt.