Craigellachie 16 Years Old 1988 (Connoisseurs Choice)

A Craigellachie of a 16 year old chosen by the Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail, distilled in 1988, bottled at 43%. Craigellachie is a Speyside distillery in the village of the same name, famous for its muscular, meaty single malt. Water comes from a local spring in the Blue Hill area above the village.

It was worked through stills and worm tubs for a muscular, oily spirit, to build a robust, sulphurous, full bodied character. An Oloroso hogshead lent fig, raisin and a savoury, nutty edge. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, the worm tub weight turning to mango and a waxy depth. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the oily, tropical core over the years. Worm tubs give little copper contact, so the new spirit is robust and full, mellowing to tropical fruit with age. Its malt has long been the muscular heart of the White Horse blend.

Bottled at 43%, it is rounded. Malt, dried fruit and a savoury oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. Tropical fruit, malt and a savoury oak see out the finish. This is one of Speyside's most robust single malts.