Craigellachie 13 Years Old 1998 Cask #10384 (A.D. Rattray)

From A.D. Rattray, a 13 year old Craigellachie, distilled in 1998, from cask 10384, bottled at 56.1%, one of 238 bottles. Craigellachie is an old fashioned Speyside malt, full bodied and sulphurous in youth, tropical with age. It was rebuilt in 1965, but kept its worm tubs where most distilleries dropped them.

Made in copper stills whose worm tubs build a robust make, for a bold, meaty Speyside spirit. A bourbon barrel held it, vanilla and a soft spice over the oily malt. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the malt, the worm tub weight softening to tropical fruit. A big sherry cask suits the muscular spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight. Worm tubs give little copper contact, so the new spirit is robust and full, mellowing to tropical fruit with age. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the young sulphur fading to fruit.

At 56.1%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Pineapple, malt and a savoury edge, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is full and oily, the fruit lifted by a meaty weight. A robust, malty finish ends on tropical fruit and a warm spice. This is the worm tub malt of Craigellachie.