CRAGGANMORE 20 YEAR OLD 1999 (Special Release 2020)
CRAGGANMORE 20 YEAR OLD 1999 (Special Release 2020) bottled at natural cask strength. This 2020 special release is and elusive, complex, and deeply wooded malt. After last year’s introduction of smoky Cragganmore – a spirit that I didn’t know existed – would Diageo bring it back for a second outing? Could Cragganmore become the anti-Caol Ila: a usually unpeated dram that appears in the Special Releases as a peated edition?
Cragganmore is a Scotch whisky distillery situated in the village of Ballindalloch in Banffshire, Scotland. The distillery was founded in 1869 by John Smith on land leased from Sir George Macpherson-Grant. The site was chosen by Smith both for its proximity to the waters of the Craggan burn and because it was close to the Strathspey Railway. Smith was an experienced distiller, having already been manager of the Macallan, Glenlivet, Glenfarclas and Wishaw distilleries. The Strathspey Railway is now disused and forms the Speyside Way long-distance walking route. Cragganmore was marketed by United Distillers under their Classic Malts brand. United Distillers has since become a part of Diageo.
The Cragganmore distillery draws its water from the mineral-rich Craggan burn, which lies next to the distillery. The production capacity of the distilleryis 1.52 million. The distillery allows the wash to ferment for a very long time in it’s traditional wooden wash backs, made of European Larch, which is a vital contributor to the spirits taste. Cragganmore is one of the distilleries which still use wooden wash backs. The distillery works 7 days a week to keep up with the high demand.
Cragganmore distillery takes its rock face of a name from the mountain in whose shadow it sits. And this is a whisky with many high approaches and hidden valleys of flavour. Known as the most complex aroma on Speyside, it must also be one of the most delightful because the distillery can’t keep up with demand.
