Although part of the Classic Malts, Cragganmore is not very common as an independent bottling. Among the Classic Malts, only Glenkinchie sells less bottles. The distillery has a good reputation for blending and most of the production goes to White Horse and Old Parr.
The Signatory Un-chillfiltered range is used for bottling slightly younger and less expensive whiskies, but still un-chillfiltered, with their natural colour and at a nice 46%.
Cragganmore 17 yo 1992 (46%, Signatory
Un-chillfiltered 2009, cask #1476-1477,
620 btl.)
Cragganmore 17 yo 1992 (46%, Signatory Nose: punchy and quite sweet. Sirupy barley. A bit of citrus and some grassy notes as well. Yellow apples and ripe pears. Flowery honey. Faint hints of thyme, which become slightly soapy over time, but nicely integrated and certainly not worrying.
Mouth: fresh fruits again (apples, pears). Spicy honey. Fairly low complexity. Again a little lavender soap towards the finish, less well hidden this time.
Finish: medium length, quite pleasant with returning grass.
Honest whisky at a fair price (around € 45). Too bad the flowery / herbal notes are on the edge of becoming too soapy.
Score: 81/100