Craigellachie is an old time Scotch whisky distillery known, among other things, for the use of worm tubs to cool the whisky, bestowing what’s described as extra flavor and a distinctive “muscular character” to the spirit. It is inspiration from these worm tubs that a new line up has been created, making use of “casks from distilleries who make a ‘heavier’ style of spirit, which can stand up to the Single Malt’s distinct character.”
The new Craigellachie Cask Collection, according to those behind it, initially kicks off with the distillery’s 13 year old whisky. It is initially aged in American Oak – a combination of re-fill and re-char Bourbon barrels – and then laid to rest in Bas-Armagnac casks sourced from the northernmost part of Gascony, in France, for just over a year, to undergo a second period of maturation.
“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,” said Craigellachie’s Malt Master, Stephanie Macleod, in a prepared statement.
Often overshadowed by Cognac, Armagnac is described as “a far older and more distinctive French brandy with its very own customary production process. Distilled just once through a specially made continuous still and in most cases, a traditionally constructed Alembic Armagnaçaise; a portable wood-fired still designed to be transported to the small farms who produce Armagnac. Unlike most spirits, makers of Armagnac don’t take cuts throughout distillation retaining volatile elements that are usually removed, giving the spirit more character and complexity.
“Rougher at first, a young Armagnac tastes of fire and earth. But after ageing in French oak, often for decades, the spirit is tamed and softened, becoming marvellously nuanced.”
Finishing in former French Bas Armagnac barrels, noted the distillery team, softly rounded Craigellachie’s weighty style with warming notes of baked apples, dusted with heady cinnamon. Rich flavours of caramel shortcake are offset by signature syrupy pineapples and fiery bonfire night aromas.
Craigellachie 13 Years Old Armagnac Cask is bottled at 46% ABV and has a RRP of: £52.99 / €49.99 / $65USD. The expression will initially be available in the UK, Germany and France this month, before being rolled out in the US and Taiwan later in the year.
Worm tubs, by the way, are a type of condenser, also known as coil condensers. A ‘Worm’ is the old English term for serpent, the original name for the coiled tube. A traditional way of turning spirit vapor back into liquid, the lyne arm at the top of the still is connected to a long, coiled copper pipe (worm) that sits in a huge vat of cold water (tub). These long copper tubes snake back and forth, gradually getting narrower. As the vapor travels down the worm, it condenses back into liquid form.
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