Craigellachie 2007/2022 The Old Malt Cask 15 years old Speyside Single Malt Whisky 70 cl 50%

Fifty percent, every time. Old Malt Cask has bottled at the same strength for decades, which makes distilleries easy to compare — and here it is Craigellachie in the firing line.

Expert description

Craigellachie 2007/2022 The Old Malt Cask 15 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a sherry butt and bottled at 50%.

The cask was filled in 2007 and emptied in 2022 by Hunter Laing & Co for the Old Malt Cask range, where every release goes into bottle at exactly 50%. Hunter Laing is the third generation of a Glasgow family that has traded whisky since the middle of the twentieth century. A sherry butt over fifteen years lays dried fruit and dark sweetness over Craigellachie's meaty, mineral core — two opposing forces that suit each other.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisin, fig and orange peel first, then walnut, dark chocolate and a dry mineral note from the distillery.

Palate

Full and dry at the same time. Dried fruit, malt and cocoa meet the sulphurous flint edge, with spice and an oily texture carrying it all.

Finish

Long and dry, with nuts, dried fruit and a persistent spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Craigellachie 2007/2022 The Old Malt Cask 15 years Speyside Single Malt Whisky 70 cl 50%
Distillery: Craigellachie
Bottler: Hunter Laing
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 50 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry butt
Distilled: 2007
Bottled: 2022
Edition: The Old Malt Cask

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Mineral · Spiced · Nutty

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask from a sherry butt with fifteen years in wood. Old Malt Cask releases of that age disappear quickly, and sherried Craigellachie is not common.

Did you know?

Old Malt Cask bottles consistently at 50% — not at cask strength and not at 46%. The idea is that a fixed strength lets you compare distilleries directly, without the alcohol level clouding the picture.

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Frequently asked questions about Craigellachie 2007/2022 The Old Malt Cask 15 years

Why is Old Malt Cask always bottled at 50 percent?

Because a fixed strength makes distilleries directly comparable. With the alcohol level held constant, the difference between houses stands out more clearly than at varying cask strengths.

What does the sherry butt do to Craigellachie?

It lays dried fruit, nuts and dark chocolate over the distillery's mineral, meaty core. The contrast is clear — the sherry never turns soft, because the spirit pushes back.

What is a butt?

The largest common cask in Scotch whisky, around 500 litres. The large volume gives slow maturation, which suits fifteen years without the oak taking over.

Who are Hunter Laing?

A family owned bottling house from Glasgow, now in its third generation. They are behind Old Malt Cask, Sovereign and Old & Rare, and also own the Ardnahoe distillery on Islay.

Does it suit a tasting?

Yes, especially alongside a Craigellachie from bourbon wood. The difference between the two cask types on the same spirit is one of the most instructive comparisons you can set up.

How is it best enjoyed?

Neat in a tulip glass after a couple of minutes of rest. At 50% it takes a few drops of water, which loosen the dried fruit without dousing the minerality.