Review #646 - Berry Bros & Rudd Craigellachie 14 Year Single Cask
Craigellachie single malt is generally known for its meaty character, which is generally paired with sherry casks for at least a portion of the maturation. This independently bottled version doesn't list a cask type, but based on the natural color of the whisky and the flavors in the bottle, we're guessing that this was matured in an ex-bourbon cask - that gives us a great chance to taste the real character of Craigellachie distillate.
That meaty, oily, or savory character that is often called out with Craigellachie whiskies is in part due to the use of worm tub condensers during the distillation process. Because of the reduced copper contact in these worm tubs (as opposed to shell and tube condensers), more of the sulphur and other heavy, oily elements of the distillate remain intact and are not filtered out.
This single cask from Berry Bros & Rudd was aged for 14 years, and we get a hefty cask strength presentation of 60.1% ABV - flavor, then, should be in no short supply. This bottle also carries quite a reasonable price: in 2024, we found a bottle for $70, which seems very fair for a cask strength single malt of this age.
Berry Bros & Rudd Craigellachie 14 Year Single Cask
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price: USD 70 (2024)
Age Statement: 14 Years
Strength: 60.1% ABV
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled 2007, bottled 2022; cask 70900669
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 15 months; bottles at 100% (blind tasting), 90% (blind tasting), 80% (blind tasting), and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Very malty, with a lighter complexion: white pepper, orange, fizzy fruits like grapefruit, some vanilla. Despite the 14 years of aging, there's still a sharper, spirity edge to this; tart peach, white grape, and cooking oil add nuance.
Palate: A thick mouthfeel - excellent texture, quite rich, but also a bit hot with that strength. A decent amount of light fruit: orange, white grape, golden raisin, sweet and sour stone fruits and grapefruit. There's still a strong malty backbone, and we get some cinnamon, metallic copper, and white pepper again. With time, the fruits grow more sour.
Finish: Malt and hay, pepper, some peach candies and a bit of apple. Oak, which was restrained in the palate, builds, bringing a tannin; light brown sugar, cinnamon, and hints of raisin and orange linger in the aftertaste. It's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: This bottle is getting more interesting with time - it started out a bit basic and simple, but more of the fruit elements are developing as the fill level in the bottle drops. There's a nice mix of sweet and sour notes - that sour dimension generally seems underused in whisky, and we like to see it here.
The best part of this whisky for us is definitely the weight and the texture. You do get some of that classic 'worm tub' character, with a hefty palate and great oily texture. The high strength ensures that the mouthfeel is excellent, and the finish is relatively long as well.
Value here is pretty good. Purely from a numbers perspective, you don't see cask strength independently bottled single malt much cheaper than this at this age; also, getting to learn more about Craigellachie's distillate, as well as the unique sour character, was an added treat.
Our Average Rating: 7.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.79
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
