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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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July 31, 2023 |
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Craigellachie, abundantly |
There is a lot of Craigellachie available at the moment, probably a consequence of the extreme scarcity of certain names among independent bottlers. Imagine a beginner who would come to visit a spirit merchant these days; the logical conclusion he would draw would be that the most sought-after and therefore the most prestigious distilleries in Scotland are Ledaig, Ben Nevis, Caol Ila, Benrinnes, Tomatin, indeed Craigellachie and a few others. And perhaps he wouldn't be entirely wrong...
Having said that, we may need several days… |
Brumont, makers of some of the very best
Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh |
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Craigellachie 14 yo 2007/2022 (46%, Canmore, bourbon hogshead, 352 bottles) 
I really like it when they bottle at 46%, I really do. This is a new range by independent bottlers and spirit brokers Charles Edge London. Colour: white wine. Nose: as many apples, pears, greengages, gooseberries and peaches as in vicar's orchard. Then biscuits, soft breads, beignets and acacia flowers. There is something both perfect and simple, almost Vivaldi-esque in this nose. Mouth: same feeling, word for word, with just a little more grass, grist and sourdough. Perfect tension leading to green peppercorn and lime juice. Finish: medium indeed with green peppercorn and lime juice, plus some artisan ale and a salty touch in the aftertaste. Comments: after all, malt whisky is distilled ale, in some kind of way. I found this one excellent, if a tad robust.
SGP:451 - 85 points. |
Let's see what would happen if you added a little armagnac… |
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Craigellachie 13 yo 'Finished in Bas-Armagnac Barrels' (46%, OB, 2022)
I have to say I've never spotted any 'barrels' in Armagnac, they rather use +/-400 litre casks. Bah I suppose the words 'barrel/barrique' are been used rather liberally, no big problems with that. Colour: white wine. Nose: we're extremely close to the lovely 14 years old, with just a few raisins thrown in, but it never gets 'raisiny' as such. It is just a little sweeter/rounder, very moderately so. Orchard fruits and brioche, plus acacia and elder flower; what more does the people want? Mouth: the similarities are even more obvious, with this softer lemon, lemon tarte (with meringue please) and jut touches of tonic wine, with a faint fizzy/peppery aspect coming out after one minute. Finish: same. Lime juice and beer, I know some friends do enjoy that combination. They would usually add lemon syrup, or just lemonade (hence making a panaché). Comments: I'm not sure you could detect the armagnacness If you weren't in the loop from the beginning, but once again, it's an excellent drop. We should keep some to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Ault Alliance. Yeah I know, that'll happen in 2095, but with advances in medicine, we could well make it…
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Craigellachie 13 yo 2008/2022 'The New Star' (46%, James Eadie, Small Batch, for the UK, refill hogsheads, casks #308452, 308459, 308505, 917 bottles)
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: this one's tighter yet, more on sauvignon blanc, with tomato leaves, lemon, elder flowers again, gooseberries, asparagus… And just a touch of rubber. 'Bicycle inner tube' as we used to say while the Tour de France was on. Some chalk too, you could believe this is a glass of Sancerre indeed. Granted, some very heavy Sancerre. Mouth: we're so close to the others, once more… It's just that we enjoy this even tarter, tighter, tenser style even (a little) more. Kiwi and rhubarb sherbet. Finish: long, very lemony, also with a little fennel, cress, aniseed, grapefruit… Comments: same ballpark, obviously. It's all only a matter of individual taste here.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
Hold on, I've got an idea (oh, no…) |
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Craigellachie 14 yo 2007/2022 '1st Fill Pacherenc Barrique' (52.3%, Brave New Spirit, Cask Noir, cask #315065, 262 bottles)
Pacherenc (its real name is Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh) is a white wine from the southwest of France, which is produced more or less in Armagnac country. Unless the label tells you it's dry (sec), it is a sweet wine, mainly made out of petit and grand manseng. Think sweet Jurançon… I believe Craigellachie takes these wines pretty well. Colour: straw. Nose: this time the sweetness feels, this one being more floral and fruity. There are red berries (cranberries, raspberries) and some peonies and lis, a slice of ripe banana, bits of mango and guava, linden and honeysuckle… It seems that the Pacherenc did add an extra-layer as far as aromas go. With water: add a few rubbed mint leaves, which always works. Mouth (neat): a very tiny touch of sulphur, absolutely not unbearable (really not), plus banana and elderflower liqueur. Some apricot jam and some honey, that's the manseng grapes speaking out. With water: gets a tad muscaty. Touches of rose jelly, litchi, ripe red gooseberries, geranium candies… Finish: medium, sweet and clean, never dissonant. Comments: a love marriage, after all? Try to find some dry/sec Pacherenc! Some say it doesn't travel well, but that's pure codswallop. I still liked the Eadie's blady side a little better.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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Craigellachie 13 yo 2009/2022 (53.8%, Whisky AGE, hogshead, cask #305227, 299 bottles)
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: I see. This is a rather fatter one, with some sunflower oil, plus fresh barley, sunflower seeds, broken branches, chalk, sourdough… In a way it is very elementary, very close to the grains, to the soil, to the fertiliz… no. With water: no changes, pure sunflower oil. Plus, perhaps, banana skins. Mouth (neat): perfect simplicity. Barley sugar, grist, chalk, limoncello, and repeat. A lot of barley sweetness. With water: more sweet barley, a handful of gummy bears, perhaps a little agave syrup, plus sprouted seeds, alfalfa, soy, quinoa, also carrot juice... Say Sausalito, 1978. A little Armistead-Maupin-esque. Finish: medium, simpler. Says goodbye with more sunflower oil and a bit of papaya. Comments: always in the same region as far as intrinsic quality's concerned. It's a perfect distillate, a first-class filler I would say.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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Craigellachie 10 yo 2011/2022 (60%, The Single Cask of Scotland, Kirsch Import Exclusive, sherry butt, cask #900093, 510 bottles)
Younger, stronger, that's the story of our lives my friend, don't you agree? Colour: light gold. Nose: a higher oak impact, which translates into much more vanilla and mango cream, praline, roasted peanuts… Chouchous, as we say. With water: asparagus and artichoke getting louder. Mouth (neat): very rich, with some cigarette tobacco (chewing your untipped Craven 'A' – gosh they'll close this poor little website for good one day), propolis, lemon marmalade, lemongrass, passion fruits… With water: it keeps the lemony side on the palate. A tiny touch of rubber too, which is connected to that bee's propolis we had found before. Finish: medium, without any further changes. Comments: the price here is very fair, I've seen it at 55€ in Germany. Yeah, the price of neighbours Macallan's 30 years old back them (and we were complaining – already!)
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
Last one, we'll go on tomorrow… |
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Craigellachie 15 yo 2006/2021 (53.1%, Alambic Classique, Special Vintage Selection, bourbon barrel, cask #2116, 299 bottles) 
Some very good stuff at Alambic Classique's lately. Colour: straw. Nose: we're in the open, wandering throughout meadows, barley fields and farmyards with a light heart and a tranquil mind. Right, a lot of chalk, sourdough, leaven, wee touches of baby vomit (nothing negative, we need more babies in Europe!) fermentation, beers, pot ale… With water: it's cleaner now. Lemon cake, weissbeer, muesli... Mouth (neat): ah splendid! Citrus chiming in with flying colours (and acidity). Stunning citrons. With water: perfectly doughy and citrusy. Finish: medium, on cakes. Lemon cake with bits of candied zests inside. Custard in the aftertaste. Comments: one that good people having faith in the future may want to cellar for two or three decades. I'm not saying a whole palette, uh.
SGP:561 - 88 points. |
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