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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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February 11, 2021 |
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Craigellachie. This reminds me that we have a large stash of Macallan that we should unload here, but we keep procrastinating, for no particular reasons. A lack of goodwill, perhaps? Afraid of boredom? Not wanting to slaughter a former sacred cow? |
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Craigellachie 13 yo 2006/2020 (54.6%, The Golden Cask, cask #CM257, 189 bottles) 
Colour: white wine. Nose: a fat and mineral spirit. Chalk and lemons, paraffin, sourdough, weissen beer, wet cement, cider apples, raw wool… Not much fun but I do like a little austerity in my malt whiskies. With water: nice earthy touches, apple peelings, muscovado sugar, beets… Mouth (neat): good sweet malt, sweet beer gueuze-style, sweeter apples (golden delicious), a few drops of agave syrup… The fact that they have millions of such casks sleeping in Scotland doesn't make it any less good, it is good. With water: it is good indeed. Sweet bread and notes of bananas. Orange drops. Finish: medium, more on sweets, orange drops, sweet bread, maize… Grass in the aftertaste. Comments: not sure I'll remember this one tomorrow, but it sure is good. Pretty, pretty good. Me, bored? Never!
SGP:551 - 82 points. |
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Craigellachie 2010/2020 (64.4%, C&S Dram Collection, hogshead, cask #900147, 326 bottles) 
A very good bottler from our neighbours Germany. Now, 64.4%, that could qualify as attempted murder on innocent whisky blogger. I shall ask my lawyer right tomorrow. Colour: straw. Nose: vanilla fudge, butterscotch, plantains. Some charring may have happened, or not. But let's be quick… With water: sweet beer, that's cool. After all, whisky's only distilled beer. Notes of shortbread, scones, pancakes, corn syrup, autumn leaves… Mouth (neat): I'm sure it's excellent, but boy does it knock you down if you're not careful. Stout, caramel, mead, and just ethanol. With water: as expected, nougat, turon, biscuits, popcorn, and a grassy maltiness leading to… more sweer beer. Finish: long, malty. Comments: sure it's not earthshattering, and yeah they have millions etc, but this just wouldn't disappoint you. Malt whisky that tastes like malt – and safe from PX, at that!
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
Let's swim, okay fly, to Asia… |
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Craigellachie 12 yo (59.3%, OB for Quaich Bar 12th Anniversary, Singapore, PX hogshead, 264 bottles, 2019) 
Good, let's pretend we haven't noticed that this has had some guilty relations with PX. Colour: deep gold. Nose: some fun here, with walnut stain, raw chocolate, a little ammonia, moist cigars, and just a little hoisin sauce and malt extracts. Very fermentary, which is something that I usually enjoy. With water: some warm walnut cake and fresh millionaire shortbread. No, that's not heavy. Mouth (neat): very rich, with more walnuts, pepper and Demerara syrup than anywhere else, tankerloads of molasses, and the thickest maple syrups ever, tabernacle! With water: orange liqueurs chiming in, that always works. Chocolaty caramel. Finish: long, still thick and concentrated. Molasses. Comments: it's a thick one, you'd almost need a spoon to get it out if your tulip glass. But it is very good, just a little tiring at times. Not cloying.
SGP:661 - 85 points. |
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Craigellachie 11 yo (61.6%, Whic, Amazing whiskies, 1st fill sherry cask, 289 bottles, 2020)
Colour: rich amber. Nose: many things coming out of a high-class oven, especially cakes and tartes. I'm thinking Zwetschke tarte, panettone, Linzertorte, kougelhopf, beerawecka (no oven needed for beerawecka), and some kind of mushroom and meet pie, English-style. When a Frenchman is quoting English cuisine, you know that something's happening. With water: cool, the meaty side takes over. Miso, beef soup, th?t kho tàu. That's caramel pork. Mouth (neat): earth and cakes and a huge caramelised power. Be careful, this one too will knock you down without notice. With water: chocolate (Twix, Mars, whatever) seasoned with Asian spices and herbs. Does that sound unlikely? Have faith! Finish: long with some oak spices, shavings, cinnamon and caramel… Comments: would this word, 'concoctionary', kind of work?
SGP:561 - 85 points. |
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Craigellachie 12 yo 2007/2020 (54.9%, Duncan Taylor, The Octave, Singapore exclusive, 99 bottles) 
A small cask for a small world. Duncan Taylor, how are you doing? Colour: light gold. Nose: soft cakes and breads, with tiny spices and seeds and nuts. Poppy seeds, sesame… then sweet beers and perhaps a few drops of moscatel. With water: malt. A tad undefined, perhaps. Mouth (neat): good fudge, bitter oranges, allspice, pepper… It sure is very spicy. Tiny casks, huge spicy flavours! With water: good sweet pastries, scones, ginger cookies, honey glaze… Good, but this is another one I won't remember forever. Not even sure I still remember what it was, wasn't it young Macallan? Finish: medium, grassy and malty. Nothing standing out, only a little rubber. Which kind of kills it, I'm afraid. Comments: I think they call this a downward spiral. The rubber in the finish (when reduced) just rather killed it. I'm deeply sorry, deer Singapore – did you know I first visited Singapore in 1987? But why am I telling you this? Who would care?
SGP:361 - 77 points. |
A last Craig' and we'll call this a session. Indeed no OBs on the table, but do we need them? I cannot even remember to whom Dewar's belong these days, tell me about 'a brand'… |
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Craigellachie 2010/2020 (63.6%, Or Sileis, Taiwan, hogshead, cask #900189, 295 bottles)
Another murderous strength. I don't quite know what's on the label, but abstractedly, it's all rather lovely. Colour: white wine. Nose: classic modern malt, with proper fudge, butterscotch, finger biscuits, Jaffa cakes, soft white nougat and rubber – which should go away once we've brought it down to civilised levels. With water: sourdough and plaster, and no rubber left. Love sourdough, baker's yeast, ale… And these wee touches of aniseed, or fennel seeds, or dill… Mouth (neat): very good, on sweet malt, oranges, bitters, Campari, well why not bring the prosecco! No, please don't… With water: very good, dry, extremely bready, dry, peppery, dry (give it a rest, S.) Finish: not a single ounce of sweetness here, it is all about yeasts, herbs, and sour breads. We've got a wonderful one over here in Alsace, we call it Süweckla or one-penny-bread. So f***g good with good butter. Good bread with good butter, that even beats good whisky. No? A little caramel in the aftertaste. Comments: extreme at times, but with good intentions. Competition malt whisky, be careful.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
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