Scotland, Speyside: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Craigellachie

Distillery description Tasting notes

The distillery

For information about the distillery, please click on the photo.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

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Craigellachie: official bottlings

Craigellachie
14 years

Age
 14 years
Alcohol percentage
 40%
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros
Craigellachie 14
A very expressive nose, where cereals and a hint of smoke get the focus. Some fruity touches give it a kind of nice freshness. The mouth is also marked by nice cereal hints. A light bitterness mixed with a some slightly acid touches too. No firework in the mouth, but quite a pleasant impression, despite its 40% of alcohol, which is sometimes synonym of flatness. But not here. The finish is long and warm, with some woody impressions.
17/20
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 Craigellachie independent bottlings
 

Craigellachie
1988
Connoisseur's Choice
Age
 13 years
Alcohol percentage
 40%
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 
An excellent impression from the very first nosing. Some malt hints with marshmallow notes. The palate is rather sweet with a certain complexity. A background taste of chocolate. The finish is too short, but remains very pleasant. Global conclusion is that this whisky is excellent. It's a shame there are not more single malt versions available from this distillery.
18/20
The floral nose offers hints of malt and touches of pepper, the whole being rather discrete. In the palate, this whisky seems to be a bit "short", "faded", probably because of the alcohol rate, and still this floral presence, a touch of citrus fruit and some discrete spices. A too short finish, with some slightly woody notes.
17/20
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Craigellachie
1973 - 2005
Douglas Laing Platinum
32 years old

Age
 32 years
Alcohol percentage
 42.7%
Particularity
 Cask Strength
Bottler
 Douglas Laing
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Craigellachie 32 ans Platinum
A very nice nose, with perfumed fragrances of hay or straw, spices and remote hints of smoke. The palate is first dry, complex. It developes quickly on very beautiful malty tastes, after some slightly acid hints, smoke and an interesting touch of bitterness. The finish is lingering and warm and clean, and all the nuances of the mouth are coming back. An excellent bottle.
19/20
The discrete nose  and slightly medicinal, rather complex and promising lots of pleasure in the mouth by the contrasting freshness which is coming up after a few seconds. Fruity hints (peach, pear) follow after a while. In the palate, first impression is a great smoothness and a nice complexity, as near the sweet character some bitterness is developing as well, even if the evolution of the taste remains on quite a small palette. It is very subtle. Between fruit and malt, very elegant, but not so much contrast. A touch of smoke. The finish is warm and long, prolonging perfectly the mouth.
18/20
This nose is remarkably balanced with nice floral notes and hints of ripe fruit. A touch of wood and a very light smoky note come and break some boring perfection. Very promising nose anyway, a perfect mix of balance and complexity.
The mouth is both smooth and clean. A light woody impression mixes with fruity hints (yellow fruits: peach of banana) and malty touches. This palate is very elegant even if it is not too complex.
The finish is first fruity and sweet before revealing nice notes of very refined wood and malty hints.
Even if it is not really spectacular, this whisky is really remarkable by its balance and noble character,
19/20
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Craigellachie
Cask Collection
16 years
Age
 16 years
Alcohol percentage
 60.7%
Particularity
 Cask Strength
Bottler
 Dewar Rattray
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Craigellachie 16 Dewar Rattray
The spicy nose is marked by both the cereal and floral notes pleasantly completed by hints of fruits and a touch of yeast.
The first mouth is characterised by a great freshness. Green apple and plum jam. This acid notes are continuously developing and mix harmoniously with slightly bitter nutty hints.
The finish is very complex and long too. All the notes which were present in the palate are present at the finish as well.
A few drops of water even enhance this nice whisky.
19/20
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Craigellachie
The Whisky Agency (joint bottling with Daily Dram)
Flower collection

Age
 25 years
Alcohol percentage
 53,7%
Bottler
 The Whisky Agency
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Craigellachie 25 Whisky Agency
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Craigellachie samples

Craigellachie
Ultimate single malt collection
1998
Age
 10 ans
Taux d'alcool
 46%
Embouteilleur
 Van Wees
=25 euros=25 euros
A slightly tingling nose but revealing nice peppery notes and behind it some citrus smells. Fresh and full of character nose.
The mouth is a little bit less interesting than the nose was and the announced complexity is not met. Far from being unpleasant, however, but a bit straight away which was not the case of the nose. Citrus fruit is still present, but much less "colored" than announced by the nose. Quite a metallic impression completes the scene.
The finish is rather long an closer to the mouth tahn to the nose.
This bottle remains a good price-quality ratio.
17/20
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Craigellachie
Gordon & MacPhail Reserve
1994

Taux d'alcool
 61,2%
Embouteilleur
 Gordon & macPhail
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Quite a pleasant fresh nose, fruity and spicy, wit peppery notes giving some depth to the first fruity smoothness.
In the palate, the fruit remains present, but a kind of peppery bitterness gives it a new dimension. The high degree of alcohol is a bit hindering but a drop of water opens a whole range of new horizons. A nice balance between spices and fruit.
The finish is warm and relatively long. Alcohol remains present in the finish too.
18/20
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