Craigellachie 8 Years Old 2011 Cask #DL 13983 (Provenance)

From the Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing, an 8 year old Craigellachie, distilled in 2011, from cask DL 13983, bottled at 46%, one of 319 bottles. Craigellachie is a Bacardi owned Speyside distillery whose worm tubs give a heavy, meaty spirit. Its malt has long been the muscular heart of the White Horse blend.

The spirit was made in copper stills whose worm tubs build a robust make, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the heavy spirit. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over a robust, sulphurous malt. Long ageing turns the young, sulphurous spirit towards mango, wax and a warm spice. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit. A big sherry cask suits the muscular spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight.

At 46% it is gentle, sweet and fruity. Meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is full and oily, the fruit lifted by a meaty weight. The finish runs meaty, waxy and warm. This is Craigellachie's robust, oily Speyside style.