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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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July 4, 2022 |
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Little Duos, today Cragganmore
20 years apart |
This time it's not been easy to find a proper sparring partner for the new 1973 Prima & Ultima. We had to dig into old stock… (picture Diageo)
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Cragganmore 10 yo 1993/2004 (60.1%, OB, Bodega European oak casks, 15000 bottles) 
We first, and last tried this punchy baby back in 2005. It was a tough boy, with a 'bodega' mention that was a little unclear in my opinion. Anyway, old times, good times; well, not quite. Colour: gold. Nose: I would have loved to write 'as I remembered it' but to be honest, I don't remember it, thank God there is this lousy website. Tough indeed, with a rubbery side that did not vanish over the years, whiffs of glue (UHU) and just raw eau-de-vie. With water: a rawish maltiness, bitters, very strong ales, then paraffin and once again 'new' rubber. Soft plastics straight from dear Alibaba. Settles down after five minutes, goes towards fresh sponge cake. Mouth (neat): very strong, on eaux-de-vies once more, glue, fruit peel (and green walnuts), plus some grappa. With water: much better, I think. Jaffa cakes, orange cake, and rather a lot of very bitter marmalade. Finish: very long, peppery, with a lot of bitter oranges and some spicy oak. Softer aftertaste. Comments: I had found some smoke in 2005, but this time it's gone. A rather brutal Cragganmore, rather for our hipflasks as we sometimes say. The one with a skull or a Harley-Davidson logo.
SGP:461 - 83 points. |
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Cragganmore 1973/2021 (45.8%, OB, Prima & Ultima Third Release, refill American oak hogsheads, 351 bottles, 2022) 
From three hogsheads. This is from the very first batches they had distilled right after the conversion from direct to steam heating, whilst there had been the very last of the direct-fired Cragganmores, an utterly splendid 1971 (WF 93) within the first edition of these Prima & Ultima series. 'Steamed' malt whiskies are said to be lighter and more delicate than direct-heated ones. Colour: gold. Nose: these honeyed, beehive-y notes would just sell it. I'm a total sucker for this profile that blends honeys, beeswaxes, old pinewood and pollen. All the rest (flowers and fruits and cakes) remains anecdotal in this context. Mouth (neat): right at the tipping point as far as oak influence goes. Black teas, menthol, liquorice, resins and a little carboard on the one side, yellow jams, honey (acacia) and preserved plums on the other side. Some stronger chestnut honey too – remember chestnut's been used in barrel making too, because the wood is soft and easy to work with, although it would be pretty tannic, which makes it rather rotproof, having said that. By the way, some beekeepers still use chestnut trunks for the very same reasons. Finish: medium, well balanced, rather on honeys, mint, then spicy tobacco in the aftertaste. That's the chestnut. I mean, the oak. Comments: I've just seen that I had scored an earlier official 1973, the 29 yo 1973/2003 'Special Edition' just the same back in… 2004.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
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