Single Malt Bourbon Hogshead 'Full Cask' No 109
⏳ Drinking Window
As a distilled spirit, this single malt does not mature further in the bottle and is ready to be enjoyed immediately upon release, remaining stable for decades if kept upright and away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
blue cheese, dark chocolate, smoked salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
Craigellachie is legendary among Scotch enthusiasts as the defiant, old-school rebel of Speyside. Founded in 1891, the distillery stubbornly clings to traditional worm tubs—coiled copper pipes cooled in cold water tanks—to condense its spirit. This historic method limits copper contact, leaving a heavy, sulfurous, and muscular character in the new-make spirit that modern distilleries have largely abandoned. When matured in a single bourbon hogshead, like this 'Full Cask' expression, the spirit's fiery, meaty, and tropical fruit notes are tempered by the gentle sweetness of American oak. The result is a complex dram where charred pineapple, vanilla, and soft coconut interlace with Craigellachie's signature robust, waxy, and slightly smoky backbone, offering a glimpse into the historic flavors of 19th-century Speyside.
🍾 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.