Craigellachie 14 Years Old 2008 Cask #HL 19718 (Old Malt Cask)

A 14 year old Craigellachie from the independent Hunter Laing, distilled in 2008, from cask HL 19718, bottled at 50%, one of 641 bottles. Craigellachie sits above Telford's famous Spey bridge, a Speyside distillery of real muscle. Bacardi's John Dewar and Sons bought it in 1998, alongside Aberfeldy, Aultmore and Royal Brackla.

It was worked through stills and worm tubs for a muscular, oily spirit, for an oily, robust make that turns tropical with age. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness to the heavy, meaty malt. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the malt, the worm tub weight softening to tropical fruit. The oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and tropical fruit over a meaty malt. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the meaty malt. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the young sulphur fading to fruit.

At cask strength 50% it is full bodied. Mango, wax and a meaty depth, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A dried fruit and a savoury, oily depth give it weight. It finishes robust, waxy and warm. This is the worm tub malt of Craigellachie.