NEW RELEASE: CRAGGANMORE 1990 30 YEAR OLD

Posted 5th Apr '22 ·
NEW RELEASE: CRAGGANMORE 1990 30 YEAR OLD

Our latest Octave Premium release is from CRAGGANMORE in Speyside. The total number of bottles produced is 89 from cask number 4230549, and bottled at a cask strength of 48.5%.

-

Distillery background:

In 1869 John Smith, who was already running the Ballindalloch and Glenfarclas distilleries at the time, founded Cragganmore distillery. He had also held managerial positions at the Macallan and Glenlivet distilleries before that.

This was the first distillery to take advantage of the Speyside railway line and was the first to use “whisky specials”- long trains for distributing whisky and casks. Cragganmore was refurbished and modernised in 1901 by Gordon Smith, John Smith’s son, with help from the whisky architect Charles Doig. The distillery is located beside the Craggan Mor hill, where it took its name from, and the Craggan burn both of which attracted John Smith to the site. He used the greenstone from the Craggan Mor hill to construct the buildings and used process water from the Craggan burn. The distilling equipment used is rather unusual. Flat topped stills with t-shaped lyne arms are used, instead of the more common swan necks

-

BEFORE Tasting Notes:

Colour: Pale Gold.

Nose: Gentle sherry with delicate citrus underneath, milky chocolate, some herbal tea, a touch of coconut, smooth and honied.

Palate: Light maple syrup, Bounty bars, Christmas cake with vanilla icing, cloves and star anise balance the sweetness, fresh and firm.

Finish: Of good length, off dry with some toasted oak coming through, an unexpected hint of salt.

-

AFTER Tasting Notes:

Colour: Copper.

Nose: Meaty and malty, with strong sherry notes, Christmas spices, sugared almonds, dark chocolate truffles and coffee beans, in the background soft floral notes.

Palate: More dark chocolate, blood orange, raisins and dates, the fresh oak is quite dry with little sherry sweetness. cinnamon and nutmeg spice, rich in texture.

Finish: Long and full, chocolate again, and dried fruits still strong with toffee and orange, a modern sherry bomb.

-

Available now. For where to buy, please enquire via the contact form.