I’m very fond of Craigellachie distillery due to the seemingly irrelevant fact that I slept at a B&B in the Craigellachie village on my first Scotland pilgrimage. Since then I tasted a few Craigellachie bottles, indie and official and it’s time to review another one, a 1997 vintage from the Connoisseurs Choice lineup of Gordon & Macphail.

It was bottled in 2014 (making it about 17 year old) and it was aged in refill ex-bourbon casks, unlike the 1997 vintage that was bottled in 2013 that was aged in first fill sherry casks. I do know that Craigellachie works well with sherry but how about bourbon?

Craigellachie 1997 Connoisseurs Choice (46%, Bottled 2014, £64.45/€88,90)

Nose: Fruity with apples, red apples peels, a touch of peaches, it very much reminds me some of official Craigellachie lineup traits with those apples, roasted/burnt matches and the oily and smooth feeling. bakery full of fruit cakes, some nuttiness, cream, ginger and spices.

Palate:  Spice and burnt matches, nutmeg and spices, apples peels, coconut, thick and chewy, earthy, oily and creamy.

Finish: Short medium length, a bit drier and some bitterness shows up, nutty, apples and peaches.

Thoughts: I loved the OB lineup so it’s no surprise I like this one too as this one share many of their traits. It’s fruity with creaminess, slight roasted flavor and a dash of spice, forcing me to agree with G&M that it’s a great summer dram.

(Official sample provided by G&M)