Craigellachie 13 Years Bas-Armagnac finish is the first release in Craigellachie’s Cask Collection. It is initially matured in a combination of refill and re-char ex-bourbon barrels. After that it goes into Armagnac barrels for over a year.
Craigellachie 13 yo – Bas-Armagnac Barrels (46%, OB 2022)
Nose: quite expressive, with plenty of green apples as well as a sweeter grape / pineapple note. Tangerines too. Some malty notes underneath, as well as lemon peels and a floral edge. Coming from Craigellachie, I expected more meaty weight, but this is very fresh and bright. Lightly toasted bourbon wood as well.
Mouth: now slightly more robust than the nose suggested. However that fragrant woody note is still present, mixing nicely with vanilla custard, lime and a generous dollop of herbal honey. Sugary biscuits. Then back to sour apple. Ginger and pepper along with shortbread. Subtle cocoa in the background.
Finish: medium and slightly drying, mostly revolving around wood spice, vanilla and ginger.
Although some may miss the typical meatiness of Craigellachie, I find the lightness and brightness really pleasant. On the other hand there’s some active oak involved and just a vague (and slightly too sweet) armagnac influence. It may not add much to the standard Craigellachie 13 Year Old but overall it’s a good whisky. Available from The Whisky Exchange or Master of Malt for instance.