Craigellachie | Whisky Lady

Several whisky stands at Paris Whisky Live had special drams they made available with some fan fair! Such was the case with Craigellachie which had at a certain time one bottle of Craigellachie 31 year available to taste. Who could resist?

Of course, before going straight to the “rare stuff”, we chose to “warm up” with the Craigellachie 13…

Craigellachie 13 year 46% (approx Eur 61)

Nose – Tropical fruits – especially pineapples, some savoury sweet ham, sweet spices
Palate – Loads of character! Full-flaoured with both sweet fruits and tangy
Finish – Deeper and meatier than expected

At first, I thought – what a classic styled Speyside! And then realised this was far from the case as this Craigellachie was robust and savoury.

What do the Craigellachie folks have to say about their 13 year?

Craigellachie 13 Year Old evokes Bonfire Night: aromas of oozing toasted marshmallows, fire-roasted pineapples and baked apples studded with cloves, with the tang of cordite lingering in the background.

It was initially matured in a mix of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks, then the blend was split to be finished with half in 1st fill Sherry casks and the balance in 1st fill Bourbon casks.

Craigellachie 31 year 52.2% (approx Eur 2,330)

Nose – Loads of honey, some oak, fruity and sweet
Palate – Juicy warm peaches, some “top” spice, hot chocolate though a touch imbalanced – a bit “too much” of the different elements
Finish – Follows through with fruits, spice, and more sweetness
Water – Some lovely herbal quality came to the fore, and rounded out the palate nicely too!

It was like being enveloped in a warm wool sweater or blanket. At cask strength it is remarkable… with water it is beautiful. Well worth trying if you have a chance – though it is with a rather steep price tag!

When introduced, there was mention of a combination of both first fill and refill casks… I think it was also, like the 13 year a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry however don’t quote me on this! 🙂