2012 A.D. Rattray Cask Collection Craigellachie 10 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Craigellachie is notable as a full bodied and slightly sulphurous malt (in a good way) used primarily to add punch to blends. Part of it's charm is that the distillery still uses old-fashioned worm tubs with low copper content, said to add weight and a beef-stock kind of flavour while also resulting in whiskies that “taste older than they are”. This may well be one of the boldest drams for the year. Starting with an already heavyweight make, it then gets finished for around 30 months in one of Rattray's exceptional Glenallachie 2012 butts. These casks lend notes of red berry and baking spice to the classic Craigellachie toasted oat, cereal base. A selection to suit the adventurous before beginners, it's another bomb of a malt capped off by a whopping 65% Alc./Vol. The yield was 552 bottles. Non chill filtered.

Notes from the bottlers... Colour: Autumn leaf. Nose: Seville orange, roast plum and crystallized ginger. Palate: Raspberry jam, juicy nectarine and lemon zest. Finish: Sweet, sticky marmalade with hints of walnut and clove.