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

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Speyside:

Craigellachie

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Craigellachie Distillery
Craigellachie, Aberlour
Banffshire AB38 9ST
+44 1340 881 212

Owner: Bacardi Ltd

Creation date1888

The Craigellachie distillery has been founded in 1888 by Peter J.Mackie, whose nickname was "Restless Peter", and who created the famous White Horse blend.
Mackie was also the founder of Lagavulin on Islay. Peter Mackie founded the distillery together with another famous figure in the whisky world in those times: Alexander Edwards who owned amongst others the Benrinnes distillery. Alexander retired in 1900, leaving Mackie the only owner of the company.
The place where the distillery has been built was partially chosen because of the quality of the water there, but the main reason was the proximity of the railway.
Mackie's company (Macky & Co) has been absorbed by D.C.L in 1924. D.C.L. will become UDV later, after merging with Guinness.
Electricity was installed in the distillery in 1948 and the water mill is not used anymore since the alteration works which took place in 1964. The number of stills was doubled at the same moment.
When D.C.L merged with Guinness, the company was obliged to sell Craigellachie because of the anti-trust law. The distillery became property of the current owner, together with 4 other.
Only 2% of the production is marketed as single malt, the remaining part being used in blends, in particular in Dewar's White Label.
The only official version has been released in the series Fauna & Flora, but since the distillery is not owned by UDV anymore, the only bottlings on the market are those of some independent bottlers.

The whisky

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

	Craigellachie
O.B.	14 years	17
Dewar Rattray	Cask Collection, 16 years	19
Douglas Laing	Platinum collection 32 years	18 2/3
Gordon & MacPhail	Connoisseurs Choice 1988	17 1/2

See Help 0 - 40 € 40 - 80 € 80 - 120 € 120 - 160 € 160 - 200 € 200 - 240 € 240 - 280 € > 280 €

Craigellachie 14 years
Age	14 years
Alcohol	40°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

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.

Craigellachie 1988 Connoisseur's Choice
Age	13 years
Alcohol	40°
Bottler	Gordon & McPhail
Price/litre

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.

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.

Craigellachie 1973 - 2005 Douglas Laing Platinum 32 years old
Age	32 years
Alcohol	42.7°
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Douglas Laing
Price/litre

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.

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.

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,

Craigellachie Cask Collection 16 years
Age	16 years
Alcohol	60.7°
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Dewar Rattray
Price/litre

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.

Speyside

The Speyside area is situated at the North of the Cairngorm mountain and goes to the Moray firth. It is delimited by two rivers: the Findhorn at the West side and the Deveron on the East side.
The area is named after the river Spey. Most of the distilleries take their water in one of its affluents; the Fiddich, the Livet or the Avon.
About sixty distilleries from Speyside are described on this site.

Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information
about the Speyside area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please
click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow

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Last update: Sunday, 17-Feb-2008 20:58:44 CET
Tue 13 05 2008, 20:09 - 57 visiteurs au cours de la dernière heure et 3 visiteurs sur le site en ce moment.
Copyright:Jean-Marie Putz (2003-2007)

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