Craigellachie Rare Malts Selection 22 Years Old 1973

A 22 year old Craigellachie, a distillery bottling, from 1973, at 60.2%. Craigellachie was built in 1891 and is one of the few distilleries still using worm tubs. The official range runs a thirteen, seventeen and twenty three year old, with rare older bottlings.

The spirit was drawn off pot stills cooled by traditional worm tubs, to build a robust, sulphurous, full bodied character. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the oak letting the oily, robust character lead. Oxidative, evaporative ageing turns the malt deep and waxy, ethereal esters and a faint sotolon (maple). Craigellachie is one of the last Speyside malts still built on worm tubs. Water comes from a local spring in the Blue Hill area above the village. Worm tubs give little copper contact, so the new spirit is heavy and full, mellowing with time. A big sherry cask suits the muscular spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight.

At a natural 60.2% it is full and honeyed. Tropical fruit, malt and a warm spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is full and oily, the fruit lifted by a meaty weight. It finishes robust, waxy and warm. This is the muscular, meaty Speyside malt of Craigellachie.