Craigellachie 9 Years Old 2007 Cask #70900659 (Sherwoods)

From the bottler Sherwoods, a 9 year old Craigellachie, distilled in 2007, from cask 70900659, bottled at 64.4%, one of 302 bottles. Craigellachie was founded in 1891 by a consortium led by Peter Mackie of White Horse fame. Water comes from a local spring in the Blue Hill area above the village.

Made in copper stills whose worm tubs build a robust make, building the old fashioned Craigellachie style. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla and pineapple beneath the muscular malt. Young and extractive, the cask sheds vanillin (vanilla) and toasted sugars (light caramel) over the meaty spirit, the worm tub character still struck match sharp. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the young sulphur fading to fruit. The meaty, oily spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its robust, worm tub weight. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the oily, tropical core over the years.

At cask strength 64.4% it is full bodied. Pineapple, malt and a savoury edge, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil. Tropical fruit, malt and a savoury oak see out the finish. This is an oily, tropical Speyside single malt.