Single Malt Pedro Ximenez Hogshead 'Full Cask' 132
⏳ Drinking Window
Ready to enjoy upon release; single malt whisky does not mature further in the bottle and can be preserved for years once opened if stored in a cool, dark place.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
blue cheese, dark chocolate, sticky toffee pudding
✨ Technical Specifications
Deep in the heart of Speyside, Craigellachie stands as a defiant monument to traditional Scotch whisky making. Established in 1891, the distillery is famous for its stubborn refusal to abandon its traditional copper worm tubs—cold-water tanks containing coiled copper pipes used to condense the vaporized spirit. This rapid cooling limits copper contact, leaving a heavy, meaty, and delightfully sulfurous character in the new-make spirit. When this muscular, robust spirit is matured or finished in a Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry hogshead, a fascinating alchemy occurs. The intense, syrupy sweetness of the PX cask—laden with notes of dark raisins, figs, and molasses—wraps around Craigellachie's savory, waxy, and slightly smoky core. The result is a dramatic, full-bodied single malt that balances Speyside's historic, heavy-weight style with the luxurious, decadent influence of Andalusian sherry wood.
🍾 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.