Review #288 - SMWS 44.152 'Polly Put the Kettle On' - Craigellachie 9 Year
A Craigellachie single cask, with a 2012 vintage, from Speyside - it's an unusual cask from the distillery, as well, as it sees no sherry maturation or finishing. Instead, this was matured in a second fill bourbon cask, and then bottled at only 9 years old, so there's a chance this will still be quite spirity. Then again, that's the sort of bottling that allows us to dive into the real character of a distillery.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has bottled over 150 casks now from Craigellachie, or distillery #44; the place is known for its use of worm tub condensers, which can add an oily, umami character to the spirit. Because this bottle is presented at a cask strength of 59.2%, and it's not chill filtered, we should have a great chance to find nuances like that.
SMWS 44.152 'Polly Put the Kettle On' - Craigellachie 9 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 115 (2023)
Age Statement: 9 Years
Strength: 59.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: Second fill ex-bourbon barrel
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled September 13, 2012; 218 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 7 months; bottles at 100% (blind tasting), 90%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Strong and spirity - dry at first, with oak and a soft wood smoke. There's a vegetal, funky character to the spirit as well, slightly earthy at times, maybe some petrichor involved. Apple and white peach, along with vanilla, adds a slightly sweeter side; hints of honey and brown sugar can be found later. There is just a little savory scent lingering in the background.
Palate: The mouthfeel is thick and oily, but also dry - dusty oak, sawdust, hints of sour malt, and white pepper to start. Fruit arrives in the form of dry peach, a bit sharp, and there's some baking notes of clove, nutmeg, vanilla, and caramel popcorn. It's quite warm and spirity.
Finish: Medium-long, warm, and full of baking spice. Vanilla, burnt caramel, and various brown baking spices are here, along with mild oak and some wood sugars. Applesauce, sour malt, and tannins are accent flavors and sensations in the aftertaste.
Final Note: This was alright - the youth showed through, leaving quite a hot and spirity experience, and the flavors were mostly one-dimensional, all in the baking spice vein. Powerfully flavored, so it isn't boring, but a few more years in the cask would not have hurt - a bit raw overall. Still, it has a great mouthfeel, and there is some interesting character to be found in that distillate.
Our Average Rating: 6.6 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.40
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