Craigellachie 20 Years Old 2005 Decadent Drams (Decadent Drinks)

This Craigellachie was bottled by the bottler Decadent Drinks, a 20 year old, distilled in 2005, bottled at 58.3%, one of 251 bottles. 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.

Distilled in copper stills with worm tub condensers on Blue Hill spring water, for a bold, meaty Speyside spirit. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness to the heavy, meaty malt. 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. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit. Most of its make still goes to blending, a robust filler prized for its weight.

Bottled at a cask strength 58.3%, it is rich. A robust, oily fruitiness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The finish is long, oily and savoury. This is an oily, tropical Speyside single malt.