Little Duos, today Cragganmore


February 16, 2022

Little Duos, today Cragganmore OB vs. IB

(Diageo)

I have to confess I've only just recovered from tasting the official Cragganmore 48/1971 Prima & Ultima one year and a half ago (WF 93). That one had still been direct-fired, it was fantabulous and I'm just seeing that my conclusion has been 'where's my handkerchief?' Indeed, silly as ever, but all of my tears dried away now and I feel we're ready for a little more Cragganmore, make that one official and one very rare indie.

Cragganmore 2009/2021 'Distiller's Edition' (40%, OB, CggD-6573)

As usual, finished in ex-bodega Port wine casks, knowing that the word 'bodega' doesn't obligatorily refer to the Iberic peninsula. Colour: deep gold. Nose: I don't think I've ever found this many pears in any of these DEs, this is almost a whole tarte tatin with pears instead of apples. A little strawberry and raspberry (jams), pinot gris, buttered compote, rooibos tea… We're pretty far from any kind of Portness, unless that would now be white Port. Big, big tarte tatin aux pears. Or there, this very Alsatian delicacy that consists in bits of stewed pears in pear sherbet, covered with williams pear eau-de-vie. To the brim. A touch of wine vinegar too. Mouth: much maltier and more on salted walnuts, tea, bitter chocolate and tobacco, then bitter leaves. Pretty dry and bitter indeed, as I remembered it. No signs of pears on the palate, I'm afraid. Green walnuts. No traces of sweet Port wine either. Finish: short and a little dry, with cherry stems, more rooibos, then guignolet, which I always enjoy. Oak in the aftertaste, with a tiny soapy side. Comments: loved the pears on the nose (presto, on more point than usual) . The palate, as usual as well, was rather harder to pin down.
SGP:551 - 81 points.

There are very few independent Cragganmores around these days, but I'm happy to report that we've got one!

Cragganmore 30 yo 1986/2017 (59.7%, Hunter Laing, Old & Rare, Platinum Selection, refill hogshead, 167 bottles)

Our dear Platinums… Colour: pale gold. Nose: a little hot when neat, rather on kirschwasser aged in oak, vanilla, some fennel bread perhaps… I would suppose the high ABV kind of blocks it a little bit. So, with water: gets waxier, with also some grape pip oil, then rather almond milk, almond peel, just cut apples, green tea, a drop of manzanilla sherry, green walnuts, fresh sorrel… Surely not much to do with any of the officials that we know of. Mouth (neat): rather on plum eau-de-vie this time, perhaps mirabelle eau-de-vie, with once again a touch of fennel, perhaps absinth, bitter almonds, kirschwasser indeed… Good feelings here, even if it remains a little hot and raw when undiluted. With water: this is the best part; you just have to really enjoy high-class green teas. Very complex now, with myriads of tiny herbs, leaves, branches, roots… In short, green tea. Finish: same. A little more straight greenish/freshish oak in the aftertaste. Comments: some uncommon Cragganmore just out of bed, without makeup (sherry, Port…) Hope that's OK – in any case, I'm rather a fan even if it's certainly not an immediate whisky. See what I mean.
SGP:371 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Cragganmore we've tasted so far