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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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April 18, 2019 |
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There aren’t many around, that’s an euphemism. But we still manage to do a proper wee Cragganmore session every year, don’t we!... |
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Cragganmore 12 yo (40%, OB, +/-2016) 
Not a very recent bottling but there, that’s what we have. Colour: pale gold. Nose: like! I think it’s better-defined than older bottlings, fruitier, fresher, less cake-y/malty perhaps… Some oranges, quinces, pink rhubarb (stewed), pomegranate jam… There’s also something clearly floral, with rose petals, litchi, orange blossom… Mouth: oh no! It lost its freshness and got rather bitter, too grassy, cardboardy, with notes of ground coffee (already brewed)… Really a shame. I believe the low strength is the guilty party here. Finish: short, a tad nicer thanks to pleasant notes of oranges, Jaffa cake… Comments: many Classic Malts remained as good, some ever better than earlier versions, but I’m not sure that’s the case with little Cragganmore. Next year, perhaps?
SGP:351 - 78 points. |
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Cragganmore 21 yo 1989/2011 (54.5%, John Milroy Selection, refill hogshead, cask #2882)
Imagine Master of Malt still have samples of this rather obscure bottling. Colour: straw. Nose: grass and cardboard, carbon paper, porridge, fresh bread, green asparagus (not the same thing at all as white asparagus, that’s a fact). Really very austere and shy. With water: some finer, maltier touches, baguette, wholegrain bread, notes of damp hessian, grist… Mouth (neat): fine arrival, wackier development. Lemon powder, some stuff by The Coca-Cola Company, limoncello… All that is very fine, it’s just that the whole’s a little wobbly, with this cardboard here and there. With water: some liquorice, a littler linseed oil, stems and leaves, some vanilla… Finish: medium, a touch bitter. Orange skin. Comments: not the easiest malt whisky ever. But the Milroys, that’s the good old times…
SGP:361 - 79 points. |
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Cragganmore 33 yo 1985/2018 (53.4%, Signatory Vintage, 30th Anniversary , hogshead, cask #1241, 199 bottles) 
I find it extremely cool that Signatory would have kept some old Cragganmore! Not that they grow on trees… Colour: pure gold. Nose: wham! Old bourbon, vanilla, earl grey, box of cigars, miso soup, camphor, lavender (touches, do not worry), pine sap, drops of yellow Chartreuse… Perfecto! With water: ho-ho-ho, it’s turning around, with bandages, old ointments, mercurochrome, pine sap, camphor, eucalyptus, Vicks’ very best, assorted pain relieving rubs… Mouth (neat): it’s funny that it would start rather bourbony again (and I mean Papy-y stuff and such), as well as rather plankish – but not problems at all here. Vanilla pods, some herbal teas (many of them), cedar wood… Hope it’ll swim well, could be tricky given the oak… With water: it gets gentler, rather cake-y and a little sour in some corners… All that in a good way. Finish: rather long, flirting with the limits of oakiness at times, which, in my book, will prevent it from making to 90. Oh well, you’re right, who cares… Comments: it’s not impossible that this old Crag’ was better when Signatory celebrated their 20th, but we’re really getting too fussy down here, aren’t we.
SGP:451 - 88 points. |
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