Review #219: Craigellachie 8 Battle Hill Sherry

Speyside - 8 - NCF - NCA - $130 - 51.5%

Craigelllachie is a Speyside malt the mostly ends up in your favorite glass of Dewars.  The distillery is one of the few that still uses worm tubs which tends to give whisky a more meaty flavor.  This one was aged in Sherry for 8 years which should make those meaty notes and sherry big and brash.  

Color - Burnished

Nose - Big sherried fruits and coal gas - figs, apricots, spent bottlerockets, baking spice - eventually this gives ways the chocolate and leather.  

Palate - Raisins, carbon, chocolate 

Finish - Medium -  Hot, graphite, salt, chocolate coffee

Overall - 4 - Wow, this just did not agree with my palate.  It was hot and carbonous and brash.  I added some water but this just seemed to mute the sherry notes and bring the carbon to the forefront.  I just did not enjoy this dram.  Adding water just made it flat and didn't open it up at all. This is probably great for somebody but it just wasn't for me.  

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale
5.5 I really enjoyed but it will never be priced at where I would buy a bottle

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1

Standard Deviation 0.91

Skew 0.66

Kurtosis -0.16