John Crabbie & Co is a brand that stopped producing whisky in the 1970s, but early 2018 the brand returned under the wings of the Halewood spirits company. Currently in the process of starting their own distillery in the Leith area of Edinburgh, they now source other whiskies under the Crabbie label.
Crabbie 8 Years is a single malt whisky from an undisclosed Speyside distillery. While their older expressions (28 Years / 30 Years) are rumoured to be Macallan, I’m not sure about this one.
Crabbie 8 yo
(46%, OB +/- 2019)
Crabbie 8 yoNose: truckloads of cereals, white bread, gristy notes and porridge. Some heady fruits, orange oil, lemon zest. The heady notes also lead to a whiff of paint thinner. Rather boring.
Mouth: now clearly immature spirit including a harsh grainy side and some solventy notes. Things get marginally better over time, with a little citrus, caramel, biscuits and nutty notes.
Finish: short, on toffee and spice.
Why would you want to put your name on this if you’re trying to establish a brand? It’s fairly harsh and immature, and while it’s also budget friendly, I would prefer some blends over this single malt. Available from TWE for instance.
Score: 70/100