Cragganmore 11 Year Old 1999 Malts of Scotland

This Cragganmore that matured on a bourbon hogshead for 11 years, yielded 298 bottles. It is part of a new set of releases by Malts of Scotland, the German Indie that is slowly but surely building up an ironclad reputation in Belgium and far beyond with its single cask bottlings at cask strength. This one has a beautiful color and beads nicely.

The nose is warm and fruity: grapefruit and Granny Smith apples. Cake, white chocolate and some pot pourri of roses. Oranges and roasted nuts. Fresly cut grass and a whiff of smoke. Sweet and inviting. Adding water makes it a little cheesy.

He is oily and sweet, but with a kick in the teeth, because of the high ABV. Hot, even, but at the same time heart warming. Again very fruity with more oranges, woodspice and liquorice. A slight metallic taste that surprises somewhat. Very palatable without water, but I added some. Mistake. Flavours are flattened out and the dram loses punch.

The finish is reasonably long on oranges and pepper. Bittersweet death.

Wonderful Cragganmore, but suffers from hydrophobia. Have it neat.

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