Cragganmore Distillers Edition

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 40% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: Yes

Special Features:

Cragganmore Distillers Edition gains its wine-like fruitiness from a second maturation in specially prepared oak casks. The whisky first matures in previously used American and European oak casks. It then moves into recharred American oak casks seasoned with port. These have new, heavily charred ends made from the same type of oak.

The two-stage maturation adds juicy fruit and wine aromas to the distillery character without overshadowing its subtle smoky undertones. Released annually in limited quantities since 1997, the Distillers Edition series uses casks selected to suit each Single Malt. This distillery bottling has an alcohol content of 40% and comes in a 0.7-litre bottle with gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is soft and layered. Sweet, wine-like and fruity notes appear first; the aroma then grows denser, with a hint of smoke emerging later.
• Palate: The body is light to medium. On the palate, the whisky is initially soft and sweet, with a firm, slightly oily texture. Juicy wine and fruit notes meet gentle oak spice and a smoky undertone that balance the sweetness.
• Finish: The medium-length finish tingles and becomes dry while remaining spicy. The oak notes reveal vanilla before cocoa appears at the very end.

Distillery/Bottler:

John Smith founded Cragganmore in Speyside in 1869. Proximity to the Strathspey Railway was a deliberate choice of location: the rail connection made it easier to transport the whisky to its markets. Smith also shaped the design of the unusual flat-topped stills. Their shape encourages reflux during distillation, allowing mainly lighter vapours to reach the condensation stage.

The distillery draws its water from the nearby Craggan Burn and uses fermentation times of 60 and 90 hours to produce different flavour profiles. It uses traditional worm tubs for condensation: the alcohol vapours are cooled in coiled pipes submerged in tubs of water.

Facts: