Craigellachie 32 Years Old 1973 Old & Rare The Platinum Selection (Douglas Laing)

This Craigellachie was bottled by the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, a 32 year old, distilled in 1973, bottled at 42.7%, one of 181 bottles. Craigellachie, where the Fiddich meets the Spey, is the meaty backbone of the White Horse blend. It was rebuilt in 1965, but kept its worm tubs where most distilleries dropped them.

The spirit was worked through stills and worm tubs for a muscular, oily spirit, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla and pineapple beneath the muscular malt. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending maple and old oak as beeswax and tropical fruit linger. Years in oak round the spirit, the worm tub weight turning to pineapple and wax. It sits at the village of Craigellachie, where the River Fiddich joins the Spey by Telford's iron bridge. Bacardi's John Dewar and Sons bought it in 1998, alongside Aberfeldy, Aultmore and Royal Brackla.

Bottled at a cask strength 42.7%, it is rich. Meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is heavy and oily, the fruit carried on a meaty body. The finish is deep, oily and savoury. This is one of Speyside's most robust single malts.