Craigellachie 13 Years Old 2006 (Villa Konthor)

A Craigellachie of a 13 year old chosen by the bottler Villa Konthor, distilled in 2006, bottled at 54.5%. Craigellachie is a Speyside distillery in the village of the same name, famous for its muscular, meaty single malt. With age the meaty young spirit turns to pineapple, mango and a waxy depth.

It was distilled in copper stills with worm tub condensers on Blue Hill spring water, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. 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. The robust make rewards long ageing, the meatiness giving way to tropical fruit. Water comes from a local spring in the Blue Hill area above the village. Its malt has long been the muscular heart of the White Horse blend.

At a hearty 54.5% it carries real weight. Mango, wax and a meaty depth, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is heavy and oily, the fruit carried on a meaty body. The finish runs meaty, waxy and warm. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real character.