Style: Fruity, Complex and Spicy
Nose:
Powerful spearmint heat carrying baked white fruits into sight. Creamy tropical fruits with a touch of wood polish, sweet nectarines sitting in the middle, white vinegar giving a bit of acidity. Stringent to begin with, but opens up fairly well overtime. Cinnamon, five spices and a hint of wood smoke lingering at the back.
Palate:
Nice, honey fruits showing on the palate. Multiple stone fruits – peaches, nectarines, apricots riding on a liquorice and peppermint edge. Solid fruity core herbal, grassy and even perfume floral rims are starting to show at overtones. Honey oat, coconut shreds, subtle camomile tea and even faint notes linseed. A dose of white pepper and umami at the back.
Finish:
Honey white fruits fuses with herbal liquorice. Waxiness beginning to surface. Quite nice.
Thoughts:
Such a powerful Cragganmore, no way I would guess this is bottled at 51.6%. The spice has a strong grip on it which eventually loosens after 25 minutes or so, opening up to some beautiful Cragganmore-fruits complexity, a late bloomer I guess? But still a decent dram.
☆ [Recommended]
[51.6% • Independent Bottling • 1989 Distilled • 2016 Bottled • Single Cask • Non Colouring • Non Chill Filtered • Bottle Number: 239 • Matured in Hogshead • *-]
-Esmond
Thanks Shaun for the dram.
WhiskNick 