Craigellachie 15 Years Old 2006 Cask #21116 (Alambic Classique)

From the bottler Alambic Classique, a 15 year old Craigellachie, distilled in 2006, from cask 21116, bottled at 53.1%, one of 299 bottles. Craigellachie was built in 1891 and is one of the few distilleries still using worm tubs. The distillery was founded in 1891 by a group led by Peter Mackie, the man behind the White Horse blend.

Made in copper stills whose worm tubs build a robust make, building the old fashioned Craigellachie style. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, vanilla and a tropical fruit over the meaty spirit. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, the worm tub weight turning to mango and a waxy depth. The oily spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and tropical fruit over a meaty malt. With age the meaty young spirit turns to pineapple, mango and a waxy depth. It was launched as a single malt brand in 2014, with a bare knuckle, old fashioned image.

At a natural 53.1% it is full and honeyed. A robust, oily fruitiness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is full and oily, the fruit lifted by a meaty weight. The finish is long, oily and savoury. This is one of Speyside's most robust single malts.