Craigellachie Exceptional Cask Series 15 Years Old 2007 (58.8%)

A 15 year old Craigellachie, a distillery bottling, from 2007, cask 905, at 58.8%, 492 bottles in all. Craigellachie sits above Telford's famous Spey bridge, a Speyside distillery of real muscle. It keeps its worm tub condensers, an old fashioned set up that builds a heavy, meaty, sulphurous spirit.

Distilled for the heavy, meaty spirit Craigellachie is known for, for the muscular, meaty make Craigellachie is known for. A sherry cask wrapped the muscular spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, the worm tub weight turning to mango and a waxy depth. A big sherry cask suits the muscular spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the meaty malt. It was launched as a single malt brand in 2014, with a bare knuckle, old fashioned image.

At 58.8%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. A heavy, oily maltiness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Pineapple, malt and a savoury wax fill the middle. Tropical fruit, malt and a savoury oak see out the finish. This is Craigellachie, the meaty heart of White Horse.