Craigellachie 13 Years Old 2009 The Nectar of the Daily Drams (Daily Dram)

This Craigellachie was bottled by the bottler Daily Dram, a 13 year old, distilled in 2009, bottled at 46%. Craigellachie is a Speyside distillery in the village of the same name, famous for its muscular, meaty single malt. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

The spirit was distilled in copper stills with worm tub condensers on Blue Hill spring water, building the old fashioned Craigellachie style. First fill bourbon gave a fuller vanilla and pineapple over the robust spirit. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the malt, the worm tub weight softening to tropical fruit. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the young sulphur fading to fruit. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the meaty malt. The distillery was founded in 1891 by a group led by Peter Mackie, the man behind the White Horse blend.

Bottled at 46%, it is rounded. Tropical fruit, malt and a warm spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A dried fruit and a savoury, oily depth give it weight. The finish is deep, oily and savoury. This is a meaty, tropical Speyside single malt.