Cragganmore – 12 Years Old

Whisky is always best with friends and food. This evening I was out with one of my longer serving friends, taking a walk and picking up a couple of drinks. The first one was drunk at a new micro pub, called the Drapers Arms. A great place to try some ales and have a chat. Then we moved up the Gloucester Road to the lovely Inn on the Green. It was at this point that we decided to eat snacks and have a dram of whisky. Looking at the shelf that was available and seeking something new, I reached for the Cragganmore and the another of the Classic Malts.

Aroma: Dark Brown Sugar, Lemon and Elderflower.

Taste: A very slight opening, that is all sweetness of honey and sharpness of citrus. This quickly opens to a flavour like a darker wood, it’s oaky, but not just that.

Whether is the caramel of sugar, or the dark, sweetness of sherry it is difficult to say. This middle flavour is nutty, like a mix of hazelnut and pine nuts. The final flavour is digestive biscuits and caramel toffees, mixed with the drying nature of wood.

Mouthfeel: Sweet, light and wooden. Very easy to drink, but interesting enough to keep drinking.

Overall: This Speyside is creamy, nutty, caramelly and zesty. It takes me to having tasted and reviewed one more of the “Classic Malts” and although I love a Speyside, this isn’t my favourite. It’s a good standard, but there a better in my collection.

Scoring:

Aroma: 13

Start: 13

Middle: 15

Finish: 14

Value: 14

Overall: 69/100

More Information: The Classic Malts

Available: The Whisky Exchange