Craigellachie 18 Years Old (Original Collection)

This Craigellachie was bottled by Scotland's oldest independent bottler Cadenhead's, an 18 year old, bottled at 46%. Craigellachie is a Bacardi owned Speyside distillery whose worm tubs give a heavy, meaty spirit. The official range runs a thirteen, seventeen and twenty three year old, with rare older bottlings.

Made in copper stills whose worm tubs build a robust make, for an oily, robust make that turns tropical with age. A sherry cask wrapped the muscular spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. In the oxidative middle years oxidation draws out a deeper tropical fruit, vanillin and lactones fully expressed. Refill oak lets the muscular Craigellachie character lead, malt and tropical fruit beneath. With age the meaty young spirit turns to pineapple, mango and a waxy depth. Water comes from a local spring in the Blue Hill area above the village.

Bottled at 46%, it is rounded. A muscular, waxy sweetness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is heavy and oily, the fruit carried on a meaty body. The finish runs meaty, waxy and warm. This is the muscular, meaty Speyside malt of Craigellachie.