Single Malt 17YO
⏳ Drinking Window
Ready to enjoy upon release, as spirits do not mature further in the bottle. Once opened, it is best consumed within 1 to 2 years to preserve its complex aromatic profile.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Mature cheddar cheese, roasted pork belly, dark chocolate
✨ Technical Specifications
Craigellachie's 17-Year-Old Single Malt is a testament to traditional, uncompromising Scotch whisky production. Nestled in the heart of Speyside, the distillery is famous for its stubborn refusal to modernize its core character, most notably clinging to its traditional copper worm tubs for condensing the spirit. This process limits copper contact, leaving a heavy, sulfurous, and muscular spirit that is increasingly rare in modern distilling. The 17-year-old expression is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, allowing the aggressive, meaty distillate to mellow into a complex dram. It reveals rich notes of baked apples, vanilla, exotic pineapple, and a distinctive waxy, smoky finish. Historically, Craigellachie was known as the 'bad boy of Speyside' for its defiant, full-bodied profile that stood in stark contrast to its lighter, sweeter neighbors.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1891 by whisky pioneers Peter Mackie and Alexander Edward, Craigellachie Distillery commands a prominent position on a rocky outcrop overlooking the confluence of the Rivers Spey and Fiddich. Designed by renowned Victorian architect Charles Doig, the distillery purposely eschews contemporary distillation trends, championing an archaic, full-bodied spirit style. Drawing soft processing water from the nearby Blue Hill, the distillery employs oil-fired maltings, traditional wooden washbacks, and distinctive exterior copper worm tub condensers. By restricting copper-to-vapor contact during condensation, Craigellachie captures robust, heavy, and sulphurous aromatic compounds that evolve into a uniquely muscular single malt marked by savoury, meaty notes accented by luscious tropical pineapple. Under parent owner Bacardi (John Dewar & Sons) and multi-award-winning Malt Master Stephanie Macleod, the distillery balances its legacy role in premium blends with benchmark age-stated single malts—notably its core 13-Year-Old, 17-Year-Old, and rare vintage cask bottlings—all presented non-chill-filtered at natural strength.
🍇 Base Material
100% Malted Barley
🍷 ABV
46%