Six years into More Drams Less Drama, there are still plenty of distilleries we have encountered only in passing – through blends, comparisons, or a single isolated bottle – without ever properly putting them in the spotlight. Craigellachie is one of those omissions (we’ve only reviewed one bottling during an SMWS tasting), which feels particularly strange for a distillery with such a recognisable, idiosyncratic style and such an important place in the Dewar’s blending universe. So today, we are finally putting that right.
The line-up combines two official core-range releases with two independent bottlings, from That Boutique-y Whisky Company and Elixir Distillers. It is a compact way to approach Craigellachie from both sides: first through the distillery’s own carefully calibrated presentation, then through the more individual interpretations selected by independent bottlers. Four whiskies are not enough to settle every question about a distillery, of course, but they should be enough to establish a proper first chapter – and to see whether Craigellachie’s sturdy, distinctive personality translates consistently across different ages, casks and bottling philosophies.
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