Review #438 - Single Malts of Scotland Craigellachie 11 Year Single Cask
When it comes to the maturation of Craigellachie spirit, the distillery is generally known to favor a bit of sherry influence in their official bottlings; that's also the case here, a single cask from independent bottler Elixir. Bottled under their 'Single Malts of Scotland' brand, this whisky was aged for 11 years in a 'butt,' as described on the label - almost definitely a sherry butt, then. They don't describe which type of sherry was previously held in the cask, but the most commonly used in the Scotch industry, and also at Craigellachie, is Oloroso.
Craigellachie's spirit tends to take on an oily, almost meaty flavor profile, especially when paired with ex-sherry casks. Part of that is due to the distillery's famed use of worm tub condensers, but the malt specifications, cloudy vs. clear wort, distillation speed, and pot still shape will all also play a part. Will that also be the case in this independently bottled version?
Single Malts of Scotland Craigellachie 11 Year Single Cask
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 83 (2024)
Age Statement: 11 Years
Strength: 53.5% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-sherry butt
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; cask 900095, distilled April 20, 2011; bottled September 5, 2022; 657 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 1 year; bottles at 100%, 60%, and 50% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Quite interesting - several flavor facets. A fruity side brings orange seeds, raisins, pear, and some sharper grapefruit; a savory side brings clove and a subtle meaty flavor. There are also soft metallic and sulfur-like notes - copper, slightly sharp at times. In the background, an earthy scent mixes with vanilla.
Palate: Full-flavored, with lots of caramel, malty chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit. Orange, blood orange, orange soda - lots of orangey flavors. Cinnamon and some oak bring a bit of spice, and there's a fizzy, effervescent element to this palate; in the background, spirit characteristics of malt and savory meat linger. It's oily, and there's great weight to the spirit. The mouthfeel is medium-thick.
Finish: Fruits of orange, especially the rind, and cranberry start the finish; there's still a strong metallic (copper) note, though the profile starts to soften and sweeten. Subtle caramel and hints of demerara sugar, sweet malt, vanilla, and hints of cinnamon linger; in the aftertaste, just a bit of dirt and mushrooms. It's a medium length finish.
Final Note: Interesting single malt - it did indeed bring that umami, oily side that the distillery is known for. Plenty of fruit, too, coming from the sherry cask used for maturation, and the strength was enough to deliver plenty of flavor without ever being overbearing.
It might be a little bit cask-heavy, but there were still spirit notes in the background; balance was decent, actually. For us, the best part was probably the texture - good weight, great oily viscosity.
Value is decent, as this is one of the more reasonably-priced IB Craigellachie's we've seen. We would be happy to pay around $80 for this bottle, especially when we're in the mood for a bit of a sherry bomb.
Our Average Rating: 7.4 / 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: 6.79
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Craigellachie reviews:
Review #288 - SMWS 44.152 'Polly Put the Kettle On' - Craigellachie 9 Year
