Craigellachie 11 Year (The Classic Cask)

 

Very little on the net about this bottle - Craigellachie is well known for a rather funky, unusual profile that offers a surprising complexity for a rather low price. This independent bottling from The Classic Cask is non-chill-filtered, uncolored, 11 years in a "refill cask," and bottled at a decent 46%. I can't find any reviews around the web, which is fairly unusual in the robust Scotch scene. How is it? 

Nose: Thin smoke that skates on the top of malted barley, and a nice creaminess. Maybe a stray apple slice. Quite a simple, direct nose. No fruit bouquet, no peat. Creamy malt, and a little smoke. Possible apple. 

Mouthfeel: Thinner. 

Palate: Bubble gum, sulfur (!). You read that right - a nice chewy bubble gum flavor develops into a classic sherry sulfur profile.  The bubble gum, over time, devolves into something more like classic apple and pear flesh. The sulfur stays sulfurous in a rather meaty way. 

Finish: Wood tannins and the smoke from the nose, for a medium-to-long length of time. 

Verdict: Quite tasty! I've never had The Classic Cask before, but this independent bottling acquitted itself well. I look forward to exploring the other offerings!