Craigellachie Exceptional Cask Series – Double Cask 19 Years Old 2004

This official Craigellachie, a 19 year old, from 2004, cask 794, at 54.7%, 588 bottles in all. Craigellachie was founded in 1891 by a consortium led by Peter Mackie of White Horse fame. Bacardi's John Dewar and Sons bought it in 1998, alongside Aberfeldy, Aultmore and Royal Brackla.

Distilled for the heavy, meaty spirit Craigellachie is known for, giving the heavy, oily spirit at its heart. A Pedro Ximenez cask added raisin, date and a treacle sweetness. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (pineapple and mango) over the oily, meaty depth. Worm tubs give little copper contact, so the new spirit is heavy and full, mellowing with time. Years in oak round the spirit, the worm tub weight turning to pineapple and wax. A big sherry cask suits the muscular spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight.

Bottled at a cask strength 54.7%, it is rich. Meaty malt, tropical fruit and a waxy oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Soft tropical fruit and a waxy malt sit behind the cask. The close is long, fruit over a meaty malt. This is the muscular, meaty Speyside malt of Craigellachie.