Single Malt Bourbon Hogshead 'Full Cask' No 96
⏳ Drinking Window
Ready to enjoy upon release, and will remain stable in the bottle for decades if stored properly.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
slow-roasted pork belly, mature Cheddar cheese, dark chocolate tart
✨ Technical Specifications
Craigellachie is famously known as the 'bad boy of Speyside,' a reputation earned through its stubborn adherence to traditional, heavy-style whisky production. While most modern distilleries have transitioned to efficient shell-and-tube condensers, Craigellachie proudly retains its historic copper worm tubs. This traditional condensing method limits copper contact, leaving a robust, sulfurous, and muscular spirit. When matured in a single ex-bourbon hogshead, such as this 'Full Cask' release, the heavy, waxy, and slightly smoky distillate is beautifully tempered by the sweet American oak. The result is a dramatic sensory journey where intense notes of charred pineapple, vanilla pod, and toasted coconut clash elegantly with Craigellachie's signature savory, flinty, and industrial undertones.
🍾 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
Malted Barley