Review by: Raygun

Craigellachie is part of the Dewar’s group, owned by Bacardi. Dewar’s introduced a new single malt line starting in 2014, so it’s relatively recent. It’s known for odd age statements (13, 17, 23…) and use of worm tubs, giving the spirit a somewhat meaty character. The 13 remains one of the best entry-level malts out there, and very fairly priced, too. IBs have been uneven in my experience. This one was an K&L exclusive. Let’s see what we’ve got. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 10 minutes.

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Distillery: Craigellachie

Bottler: Douglas Laing

Region/style: Speyside single malt Scotch 

ABV: 57.7%. Cask strength.   

Age: 15 years. Distilled in March 2006, and bottled in October 2021 

Cask type: Sherry butt #DL 15125, 599 bottles.  

Color:  1.2 chestnut. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Great. Stewed fruit, dried cherries, and it goes very well with the Craigellachie meaty funk. Something about it reminds me of Ethiopian food, the berbere spice mix.        

Palate: A lot more meaty here. Craigellachie sulfur, but not in an offensive way. The fruitiness and meaty flavor come together in a beef stew kind of way. Tomato paste, dates, and prunes.

Finish: A little cigar. Still has the meaty and fruity thing going on, which I happen to enjoy. Like a Moroccan tagine. Good level of sweetness. Sulfur gets stronger. More earthy funk. Got some heat, and improves with water.

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Conclusion: Good Craigellachie here. Plenty of distillery character and it works well with the cask. I dig this kind of meaty sherry. The funk and sulfur is a little much for me, or I would have scored it higher. 

Score: 77

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
• 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)