Cragganmore 2003/2015 Distillers Edition 12 years old No Box Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%

Cragganmore is already the heaviest of the Speyside classics. Add a port cask and the herbal dryness suddenly has dark berries to push against.

Please note: The bottle is supplied without a carton.

Expert description

Cragganmore 2003/2015 Distillers Edition 12 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky finished in port casks and bottled at 40%.

The whisky was distilled in 2003 and bottled in 2015 under the batch code CggD-6567. Distillers Edition is Diageo's annual range in which the Classic Malts distilleries receive a second maturation in a cask suited to their own style. For Cragganmore that means port, laying dark berries and a lightly tart fruit over the herbal, honeyed core. Each vintage is bottled once and never repeated.

Tasting notes

Nose

Heather and honey first, then plum, dark berries and a warm spiced note from the port wood.

Palate

Rounder and darker than the standard 12 year old. Raisin, cherry and malt, with sandalwood and light wood smoke beneath. The port brings a tart edge that keeps the sweetness from turning heavy.

Finish

Long and dry, with dark berries, malt and a herbal warmth fading slowly.

Specifications

Name: Cragganmore 2003/2015 Distillers Edition 12 years Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Cragganmore
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Finished in port casks
Distilled: 2003
Bottled: 2015
Edition: Distillers Edition CggD-6567
EAN no.: 5000281014104

Flavour profile

Fruity · Dark Berry · Malty · Herbal · Lightly Smoked

Investment potential

Medium. Each vintage of the Distillers Edition is bottled once and never returns. Older vintages steadily get harder to find as they are drunk.

Did you know?

Distillers Edition began in the 1990s as a way of showing what a second maturation can do to a familiar whisky. The cask type is fixed per distillery — Cragganmore has had port from the start, while Lagavulin, for instance, always gets Pedro Ximénez.

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Frequently asked questions about Cragganmore 2003/2015 Distillers Edition

What is a Distillers Edition?

Diageo's annual range in which whisky from the Classic Malts distilleries receives an extra maturation in a selected cask. The cask type is fixed per distillery while the vintage changes.

What does the port cask do?

It adds dark berries, plum and a light tartness laid over Cragganmore's herbal, honeyed character. The whisky turns darker and rounder without losing its dry edge.

How does it differ from the standard 12 year old?

The standard release is pale, herbal and malty. The Distillers Edition brings more fruit, more depth and a darker colour, but is built on the same base whisky at the same age.

Does the missing carton matter?

Only to a collector. The whisky is the same, and the flavour is unaffected by whether packaging came along.

What does the code CggD-6567 mean?

It is Diageo's batch code for this particular bottling. It identifies the vintage and makes it possible to tell the different Distillers Edition releases apart.

How should it be served?

Neat in a tulip glass at room temperature. At 40% keep the water away if you want the port fruit to stay clearly defined.