Craigellachie 2004 9 Year (Hepburn's Choice)

Rating: 13/23 N: Wow, and I thought that Craigellachie 13 had a lackluster nose. This has socks that are actually more like jicama. So much jicama. Gradually, a little bit of candied orange and faint melon come out. So gradually though and so faint. A little earth and jalapeño. A little sweet creek water. There's really not much happening here though and I don't like it. This is actually an unpleasant nose. P: Fortunately, this is much tastier than the nose suggested. There's a lot more sweetness with a nice malty richness that's enhanced by some spices (cinnamon, black pepper, clove, jalapeño). A full, sweet vanilla backing. Occasional hints of melon and orange. A sort of farmyard funkiness that makes me think of Springbank with some sulphur. This farmyard is more muddled though. I get some sort of dry grass and vegetal grass that isn't quite rotting. F: There is something funky going on here. Tragically, this is much more like the nose than the palate. I get the dusty socks with jicama and jalapeño. - Conclusion - This is a wannabe Springbank. In that regard, it's much like Loch Lomond 12 (16/23), though the Loch Lomond is substantially better. This is kind of in the ballpark of Highland Park 12 (12/23). Between the two, this is less sulphuric, but also lighter and more youthful. I think I'd take this. This is pretty competitive with Dewar's 15 The Monarch (13/23), though they're obviously quite different in style. Regular Craigellachie 13 is substantially better than this is in pretty much every way. I think I'm going to land on a 13 here. It could have been a 12 or 14, but the middle seemed about right.

Nose - lemon and melon, some light herbs, a somewhat astringent note, some soft vanilla in the background Palette - soft texture, vanilla and citrus peel, some sourness and bitter tannins, slight sharp metallic note Finish - long lingering burn, mostly sour and bitter at the finish