Craigellachie has unveiled its Cask Collection with the launch of its 13 Years Old Armagnac Cask Finish. The new range was inspired by the distillery’s use of worm tub condensers (also known as coil condensers).
To create the Cask Collection, Craigellachie sourced casks from producers of oak-aged spirits who also use the same condensers to create their liquid. According to the Speyside brand, only a handful of distilleries still use this old fashioned method to condense their spirits, with most now favoring the modern “shell and tube” approach.
“Craigellachie is a distinctly bold and brooding malt; full-bodied and meaty so we are using these cask types to complement and elevate the signature character of the distillery, not mask it, to add an extra dimension of flavour and intrigue,” explained Craigellachie malt master Stephanie Macleod.
The Craigellachie 13 Years Old Armagnac Cask Finish was matured in a combination of refill and charred Bourbon barrels, followed by an additional year of secondary maturation in Bas-Armagnac casks from Gascony, France.
The resulting Scotch offers fiery bonfire night aromas alongside warming notes of baked apples, dusted with heady cinnamon and flavors of caramel shortcake, and pineapple.
Bottled at 46% ABV, the new expression is priced at £52.99/€49.99/US$65. The whisky will initially be available in the UK, Germany and France from April, before being rolled out in the US and Taiwan later this year.
For more information, head over to Craigellachie’s official website.