Craigellachie 8 Years Old 2008 Hepburn’s Choice (46%, Langside Distillers, Wine Cask Finished, 293 Bottles, 2016)
Whisky Review
- Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
- Origin: Craigellachie Distillery
- Bottling: Langside; Hepburn’s Choice
- ABV: 46%
- Cost: £41.39
What they say
8 year old Craigellachie single malt finished in a wine cask and bottled by Langside for the Hepburn’s Choice range. This was distilled in 2008 and bottled 8 years later in 2016 with an outturn of 293 bottles produced.
Official tasting notes:
- Nose: Apricot, cashews, oat and dried red berries.
- Palate: Chocolate and red apples, with developing notes of red grapes and jammy blackcurrant.
- Finish: Touches of meaty malt and cranberry.
What I say
Another 20cl bottle from the Hepburn’s choice range, this time an 8 year old Craigellachie finished in a wine (?) cask, providing an inexpensive taste of this usually slightly sulphuric Speyside distillery.
My tasting notes:
- Appearance: Pale gold (4/20) large oily tears leave thick legs
- Nose: Light caramel or runny honey sweetness, citric lemon, biscuity barley, sulphur, matches, mixed unsalted nuts
- Taste: Vanilla, light caramel, citric and sweet lemon juice, sulphur, fireworks, struck matches, hints of red fruits, cranberry?
- Finish: Medium length, bitter oak wood and lemon, hints of sulphur linger
Overall
Another sulphur dominant Craigellachie but not unpleasant, a distinct lack of other flavours/aromas to the same intensity had me questioning if this was a red or white wine cask finish as nothing dominated.
Score 75/100
Hepburn’s Choice Craigellachie 8 Years Old 2008 (opens Master of Malt)
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Categories: Craigellachie, Speyside