Craigellachie 14 Years Old 2008 Benchmark Limited Release (Murray McDavid)

The independent Murray McDavid bottled this Craigellachie, a 14 year old, distilled in 2008, bottled at 50%, one of 695 bottles. Craigellachie is an old fashioned Speyside malt, full bodied and sulphurous in youth, tropical with age. The distillery was founded in 1891 by a group led by Peter Mackie, the man behind the White Horse blend.

It was run through the distillery's stills and old fashioned worm tubs, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. A Pedro Ximenez cask added raisin, date and a treacle sweetness. 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 slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the oily, tropical core over the years. It was launched as a single malt brand in 2014, with a bare knuckle, old fashioned image.

At its natural 50% it is concentrated. Pineapple, malt and a savoury edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It is robust and waxy, the muscular spirit shining through. The close is long, fruit over a meaty malt. This is an oily, tropical Speyside single malt.