Craigellachie 15 Years Old 2007 Cask #DL 15590 (Old Particular)

This Craigellachie was bottled by the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, a 15 year old, distilled in 2007, from cask DL 15590, bottled at 48.4%, one of 299 bottles. Craigellachie was built in 1891 and is one of the few distilleries still using worm tubs. It was launched as a single malt brand in 2014, with a bare knuckle, old fashioned image.

Drawn off pot stills cooled by traditional worm tubs, for the muscular, meaty make Craigellachie is known for. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla and pineapple beneath the muscular malt. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (pineapple and mango) over the oily, meaty depth. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the oily, tropical core over the years. With age the meaty young spirit turns to pineapple, mango and a waxy depth. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

At cask strength 48.4% it is full bodied. Malt, dried fruit and a savoury oil, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is heavy and oily, the fruit carried on a meaty body. The finish is long, oily and savoury. This is an oily, tropical Speyside single malt.