10
Expressions
10
With Tasting Notes
100%
Completeness
About
A Speyside distillery in the village of Craigellachie, at the confluence of the Rivers Spey and Fiddich, founded in 1891 by Peter Mackie (of White Horse fame). Craigellachie is the self-proclaimed 'Bad Boy of Speyside' -- deliberately positioned against the smooth, sherried Speyside norm. It is one of only a handful of Scottish distilleries still using traditional worm-tub condensers (rather than modern shell-and-tube condensers), which contribute a meaty, sulfury, robust character to the new-make spirit. This muscular, unapologetically assertive style divides opinion but has won passionate advocates. The core range -- 13, 17, and 23-year-old -- was launched in 2014, transforming Craigellachie from an anonymous blending malt into a cult single malt brand. The 13-year-old is widely considered one of the best-value malts in Scotch whisky. Part of the Bacardi/Dewar's portfolio alongside Aberfeldy and Aultmore.
Production Details
Owner
John Dewar & Sons
Parent Company
Bacardi Ltd.
Status
Active
Founded
1891
Still Type
Pot
Stills
4
Capacity
4.0M LPA
Water Source
Blue Hill springs via an underground pipe
Core Range4
Craigellachie 13 Year OldCore
13 Years46% ABV$55-70
Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, 50% finished in first-fill sherry, 50% in first-fill bourbon
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Light golden amber; natural colour, non-chill filtered with slight haze when cool. Medium legs
Smell
Honeyed berries, brassy and earthy notes with thick sweetness. Stewed pear, cold apple pie, melon — very bright and fresh. A subtle sulphury backbone emerges, the hallmark of Craigellachie's worm tub condensers
Sip
Spicy first hit — white pepper, ginger, cloves — then opens to a malty core of caramel, grilled pineapple, and a fresh mildly lactic note. Robust and muscular with hoards of exotic fruit. Medium body with an oily mouthfeel from the worm tubs
Savor
Medium-long finish. Caramel, grilled pineapple, a touch of smoke, and slight bitter citrus pith. The meaty sulphury character lingers as a savoury undertone
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Greengrocer: Orchard (pear, apple), Tropical (pineapple, melon); Sweet Shop: honey, caramel, toffee; Bakery: Sweet (apple pie); Natural Foods: Spices (white pepper, ginger, cloves); Smoke House: Faint (touch of smoke); Pub/Bar: Savoury (meaty, sulphury)
Craigellachie 13 Year Old Bas-Armagnac Cask FinishCore
13 Years46% ABV2022$60-75
Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, finished in Bas-Armagnac casks for approximately one year
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Golden amber with warm copper tinge from Armagnac cask influence; natural colour, non-chill filtered
Smell
Bright and inviting — baked apples, orange peel, pear drop alongside vanilla custard and a subtle herbal undercurrent. More wood and spice than the standard 13yo, with cinnamon and stewed orange
Sip
Medium-bodied with smooth, full texture. Caramel-shortbread, malted barley sweetness, and orchard fruit complemented by warm spice — ginger, cinnamon — and a light burst of tropical pineapple. The Armagnac cask adds grape-brandy richness
Savor
Medium finish retaining malt, citrus, and spice notes. Spicier than on the palate, with the Armagnac influence adding a grapey warmth on the fade
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Greengrocer: Orchard (apple, pear), Citrus (orange peel), Tropical (pineapple); Sweet Shop: caramel, vanilla custard; Bakery: Sweet (shortbread, baked apple); Natural Foods: Spices (cinnamon, ginger); Pub/Bar: Wine (Armagnac, grape-brandy); Garden Path (herbal)
Craigellachie 17 Year OldCore
17 Years46% ABV$120-170
Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, 50% finished in first-fill sherry, 50% in first-fill bourbon
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Warm amber; deeper colour than the 13yo reflecting additional sherry cask influence. Natural colour, non-chill filtered, medium-heavy legs
Smell
Vanilla and rich exotic fruits open the nose — canned pineapple, silky dried fruit, and a hint of smoky liquorice. Pastry, dried barley, porridge, and biscuits emerge beneath, with a very faint sulphury wisp
Sip
Rich and oily. Sweet pineapple and custard creams lead before the signature meaty character shines through. Creamy cereals, vanilla pods, black liquorice, charred oak, caramel, white pepper, ginger, and a faint whiff of smoke. Thick mouthfeel from worm tub condensation
Savor
Smooth, sweet palate transitions to a smoky, lingering finish. The meatiness and sulphury depth persist longer than the 13yo, with charred oak and liquorice on the fade
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Greengrocer: Tropical (pineapple), Dried (dried fruit); Sweet Shop: vanilla, caramel, custard; Bakery: Sweet (pastry, biscuits); Natural Foods: Cereal (porridge, barley, malt); Natural Foods: Spices (white pepper, ginger); Smoke House: Faint (smoky, charred oak, liquorice); Pub/Bar: Savoury (meaty, sulphury)
Craigellachie 23 Year OldCore
23 Years46% ABV$350-500
Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks — extended maturation
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Bright gold; natural colour, non-chill filtered. Rich and viscous with slow heavy legs from 23 years of maturation
Smell
Startlingly floral — heady, almost perfumed honeysuckle and rose. Citrus, starfruit, and lanolin add texture to a rich malty spice. The sulphury backbone has transformed into something elegant and waxy
Sip
Waxy and wooly. Fragrant lemongrass and honeysuckle mingle with chamomile tea, ginger, and marzipan. The signature pineapple note is concentrated and caramelised — charred, sweet, slightly smoky. Salted caramel, creamy vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg
Savor
Sweet and unctuously textured. Extraordinarily long finish that persists so long it feels like it has become part of your tongue. The meaty character has fully integrated into complex waxy depth
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Florist: Fresh Flowers (honeysuckle, rose); Greengrocer: Citrus (lemon, orange zest, starfruit), Tropical (caramelised pineapple); Sweet Shop: salted caramel, marzipan, vanilla; Natural Foods: Spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg); Garden Path (lemongrass, chamomile); Bakery: Sweet (waxy, lanolin); Furniture Maker: Wood (toasty oak); Smoke House: Faint (charred, slightly smoky)
Limited / Special Releases6
Craigellachie 17 Year Old Spirit of Speyside 2025
17 Years57.4% ABV2025
Single Oloroso sherry butt — fully matured for 17 years
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Deep amber with mahogany tinge from full Oloroso sherry butt maturation; rich and concentrated at cask strength
Smell
Striking cordite and rich fruitcake. Warming clove and indulgent dark chocolate. The single sherry butt concentrates flavour beyond the standard 17yo's mixed-cask profile
Sip
Full-bodied at cask strength. Dark chocolate, fruitcake richness, and warming spice from the Oloroso butt. The meaty Craigellachie character is amplified, with the sherry butt adding dried fruit and Christmas cake complexity. Fifth festival bottling — a tribute to 'The Rock of Speyside'
Savor
Long, warming finish with dark chocolate, dried fruit, and spice. The cask strength delivery extends the Oloroso influence well beyond the standard 17yo
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Sweet Shop: dark chocolate; Bakery: Sweet (fruitcake, Christmas cake); Natural Foods: Spices (clove); Pub/Bar: Wine (Oloroso sherry); Greengrocer: Dried (dried fruit); Smoke House: Faint (cordite); Pub/Bar: Savoury (meaty)
Craigellachie 19 Year Old
19 Years46% ABV2014$140-220
Ex-bourbon casks — travel retail exclusive
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Deep golden amber; natural colour with richness from extended bourbon cask maturation. Non-chill filtered with heavy legs
Smell
Intense pineapple chunks in syrup — the trademark Craigellachie note at its most pronounced. Spicy, rich, and complex, fortified with an intriguing sulphury backbone. Creamy vanilla and coconut from extended bourbon maturation
Sip
Sweet biscuity base with a hint of smoke. Creamy vanilla, coconut, and sweet oak from the bourbon casks are the headline flavours. Oak char, tropical fruit, golden syrup, oaky spice, malt loaf with the pineapple note intensified
Savor
Smoky and biscuity sweet finish. The bourbon cask influence creates a cleaner, sweeter finish than the sherry-influenced expressions, with vanilla and oak lingering
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Greengrocer: Tropical (pineapple in syrup); Sweet Shop: vanilla, golden syrup, coconut; Bakery: Sweet (biscuits, malt loaf); Natural Foods: Cereal (malt); Furniture Maker: Wood (oak, charred oak); Smoke House: Faint (hint of smoke); Pub/Bar: Savoury (sulphury)
Craigellachie 31 Year Old
31 Years52.2% ABV2016$800-1200
First-fill and refill bourbon barrels — 31 years maturation, bottled 2016
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Deep amber gold; rich and lustrous with remarkable depth from three decades of maturation. Very slow legs, viscous body
Smell
Autumn forest — wet leaves, ripe apples, citrus-flavoured marshmallows. A touch salty with traces of nuts. Candle wax and waxed leather with fruit syrups, clementine, and honey. Balanced, mature, slightly restrained
Sip
Very rich and full-bodied. Almost meaty fruitiness mixed with solid earthiness of damp forest floor. Marzipan, vanilla, floral accents, and barbecued pineapple. The sulphury character has transformed over 31 years into savoury umami depth
Savor
Very long finish with refined sweetness, milder sugary notes, and vanilla. The meatiness has become elegant complexity. World Best Single Malt at World Whiskies Awards 2017
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Greengrocer: Orchard (ripe apple, clementine), Tropical (barbecued pineapple); Sweet Shop: marshmallow, vanilla, honey, marzipan; Natural Foods: Nuts (traces); Furniture Maker: Wood (oak), Leather (waxed leather); Garden Path (wet leaves, forest floor, earthy); Florist: Fresh Flowers (floral accents); Pub/Bar: Savoury (meaty, umami); Library (candle wax)
Craigellachie Exceptional Cask Series 19 Year Old
19 Years55.2% ABV2019$180-250
Single cask — second-fill Oloroso sherry cask, distilled 1999
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Rich amber with copper highlights from sherry cask influence; natural cask strength colour. Non-chill filtered
Smell
Smooth and subtle — spice, liquorice, and ripening pineapple cloaked in creamy vanilla and malty sweetness. The single cask character gives focused intensity
Sip
Tropical fruit and vanilla dominate at cask strength. The sherry influence adds dried fruit and spice depth without overwhelming the distillery character. Rich and oily with the signature Craigellachie meatiness amplified at 55.2%
Savor
Long finish with spice, vanilla, and the lingering sulphury-meaty depth characteristic of Craigellachie. The cask strength delivery extends the finish considerably
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Greengrocer: Tropical (pineapple); Sweet Shop: vanilla, malty sweetness; Natural Foods: Spices (liquorice, spice); Pub/Bar: Wine (Oloroso sherry), Savoury (meaty); Furniture Maker: Wood (oak)
Craigellachie Exceptional Cask Series 21 Year Old
21 Years2021
Double cask maturation — finished in refill sherry butt for 6 years. Edition No. 1 of Exceptional Cask Series
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Rich amber gold from 6-year sherry butt finish; viscous and deep
Smell
Rich sherry influence layered over the classic Craigellachie pineapple-sulphur signature. Six years in refill sherry adds dried fruit and spice complexity
Sip
Full-bodied with the meaty Craigellachie character enriched by extended sherry maturation. The double cask approach creates layered complexity — bourbon sweetness meets sherry depth
Savor
Long finish with sherry warmth and the lingering savoury-meaty undertone. The extended sherry finish adds dried fruit persistence
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Pub/Bar: Wine (sherry); Greengrocer: Dried (dried fruit); Sweet Shop: vanilla; Furniture Maker: Wood (oak); Pub/Bar: Savoury (meaty, sulphury)
Craigellachie Exceptional Cask Series 23 Year Old
23 Years57.5% ABV2019$250-350
Single cask — first-fill Oloroso sherry cask
4/4 Tasting
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Sight
Deep amber with rich mahogany tinge from first-fill Oloroso sherry; darker than the standard 23yo. Viscous and heavy-legged at cask strength
Smell
Pineapple studded with cloves, dusted with cinnamon and baked on the barbecue. First-fill sherry adds brandied orange peel intensity and dark fruit depth
Sip
Surprising punch of baking spice overpowers the sherry influence. Light butterscotch and malted cereals push through brandied orange peel. Less austere than expected despite the high ABV — the meaty Craigellachie character is enveloped in sherry richness
Savor
Medium-long finish, slightly tight from the high ABV. Leathery notes play against orange peel elements. The sherry cask and sulphury distillery character merge into savoury complexity
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Greengrocer: Tropical (pineapple), Citrus (orange peel); Sweet Shop: butterscotch; Bakery: Sweet (baking spice, malted cereals); Natural Foods: Spices (cloves, cinnamon); Pub/Bar: Wine (Oloroso sherry, brandied); Furniture Maker: Leather; Pub/Bar: Savoury (meaty)