Cragganmore 2000 11 years Old Malt Cask 50%

Distilled June 2000, bottled December 2011, matured in a refill hogshead, released in the Advance Sample range, DL ref 7983.

Nose: Malt, lemon, well-worn socks. With water the socks turn to flat, tepid lager. After a while it mercifully disappears and the whisky starts smelling like green apples and fruit trees.

Palate: Malt and white pepper, but mostly, well, congeners and a sickly sweetness. More pepper on the finish. Water brings out the oak, there is still malt and a lot of pepper.

Comments: Definitely best with water added. The first impression was that this was well-nigh undrinkable, but with water and a little time in the glass it’s quite all right. The pepper adds interest, but otherwise this is too bland to win any prizes.

Thanks to Geir Tore for the sample.

Cragganmore 1998 Noorbohandelen 42%

cragganmore_times_twoNose: Pear, a little oak, a hint of black pepper.

Palate: Cloying, varnished oak and some acetone.

Comments: Not nice. The nose is ok, but faint and not very exciting, and the palate is simply off-putting. I poured most of my dram down the drain, and passed the bottle to Arve, who drank a couple of drams while enjoying a pipe. However, once the pipe was done and he had a sip, he discovered just how horrid the whisky really was, and stopped drinking. The conclusion, therefore: Dinkable with a pipe (a cigar probably works as well), but generally not drinkable.

Cragganmore 1997 14 years Duncan Taylor NC2 46%

Bottled 2011.

Nose: Pear popsicles, a hint of smoke, oak. With water it develops into melon yougurt and dry driftwood.

Palate: Oak, honey, warmth and a little black pepper. More bitter with water and a subtle smokey character, but also something fruity, orangey.

Comments: Somewhat interesting the contrast between the “cool” nose, especially with the popsicles, and the “warm” taste. Otherwise a nice enough dram, middlingly complex but not something to spend an evening studying.