Craigellachie 33 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review

let’s begin

Part of the Dewar’s portfolio of brands, Craigellachie Distillery has recently released a new Craigellachie 33 Year Old as a travel retail exclusive.

The Brand

Found at the very centre of Speyside, near the village of Aberlour, Craigellachie has been in the Whisky business since 1891. It was opened by Peter Mackie, who owned the White Horse blending company, and Alexander Edward, who also built Aultmore Distillery.

Eventually Edward left the brand and White Horse took over it completely, using it for their Old Smuggler and Old Gaelic blends. They soon became part of Diageo, or Distiller’s Company Ltd., as they were then, and the malt made here was mostly used in blends.

Today, it is owned by Bacardi under the Dewar’s brand and was recently crowned Best Single Malt of the Year for the 23 Year Old expression, not to mention a throng of other fantastic awards in a very short amount of time.

Tasting notes for the Craigellachie 33 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Bottle cost: £2,499

Released just under a year ago, this malt is exquisite, but if you want it you better act fast, as it is limited to only 1,700 bottles.

It has a typical Craigellachie flavour profile, with lots of sulphur and fruity notes.

The nose opens with malted grains and ripe apples and pears. These are juicy and mellow, with a little bit of tartness to them. The sulphur also comes in here, with bananas and pineapples really emphasising it.

The palate has more orchard flavours, with caramel and more bananas. These are rich and soft and bring in a smooth mouth feel. The grains become more dessert-like in quality, with a little bit of pastry coming out. This goes perfectly with the caramel.

The fruits really jump out on the palate and are crisp and fresh, helping add to the lightness of the body.

The finish is strong, with a hint of sulphur and more orchard fruits.

This is a brilliant, muscular dram that certainly does the distillery proud. One to be savoured and enjoyed at length.

What do you think of the Craigellachie 33 Year Old? Let us know in the comments!

Tags: CraigellachieCraigellachie 33 Year OldCraigellachie DistilleryDewar'sDiageo

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.