Craigellachie 9 Years Old DMor (Dràm Mòr)

The bottler Dràm Mòr bottled this Craigellachie, a 9 year old, from cask 300593, bottled at 52.1%, one of 234 bottles. Craigellachie is a robust, oily Speyside single malt made on worm tub condensers. It was rebuilt in 1965, but kept its worm tubs where most distilleries dropped them.

It was distilled in copper stills with worm tub condensers on Blue Hill spring water, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. A Marsala cask lent raisin and brown sugar to the robust malt. At an extractive age eugenol lends a clove note and lactones a coconut, the spirit heavy, oily and robust. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the young sulphur fading to fruit. Bacardi's John Dewar and Sons bought it in 1998, alongside Aberfeldy, Aultmore and Royal Brackla. The distillery was founded in 1891 by a group led by Peter Mackie, the man behind the White Horse blend.

At its natural 52.1% it is concentrated. A muscular, waxy sweetness, with red berry and a dry spice from the cask. A dried fruit and a savoury, oily depth give it weight. The close is long, fruit over a meaty malt. This is the worm tub malt of Craigellachie.