Craigellachie 15 Years Old 2006 Cask #HL 18922 (Old Malt Cask)

A 15 year old Craigellachie from the independent Hunter Laing, distilled in 2006, from cask HL 18922, bottled at 50%, one of 562 bottles. Craigellachie is a robust, fruity Speyside single malt from the heart of the region. Bacardi's John Dewar and Sons bought it in 1998, alongside Aberfeldy, Aultmore and Royal Brackla.

Run through the distillery's stills and old fashioned worm tubs, for a bold, meaty Speyside spirit. A Pedro Ximenez cask added raisin, date and a treacle sweetness. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (pineapple and mango) over the oily, meaty depth. Long ageing turns the young, sulphurous spirit towards mango, wax and a warm spice. It was rebuilt in 1965, but kept its worm tubs where most distilleries dropped them. The heavy, oily make is prized by blenders for the backbone it gives White Horse.

At 50%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Malt, dried fruit and a savoury oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Beneath it run meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil. The close is long, fruit over a meaty malt. This is Craigellachie's robust, oily Speyside style.