Speyside week began on Monday at Dailuaine with a 12 yo hogshead bottled by Signatory for Binny’s. I liked that one very much. We’ll continue with an official release: this is the Craigellachie 23, probably bottled in 2019 (as per the source of my sample). It sits at the top of the distillery’s regular portfolio of releases (there’s also currently a 13 yo, a 17 yo and a 13 yo Armagnac cask). I’ve previously reviewed the 2017 release of the 13 yo (just about a year ago) and wasn’t terribly impressed by that one, finding it to be quite austere but not interestingly so. Let’s hope this older sibling is better.

Craigellachie 23, 2019 Release (46%; from a bottle split)

Nose: Honeyed malt with a slight whiff of peat (carbon paper). Below that is some lime and some metal polish. The citrus gets sweeter with time (orange). The sweeter notes are emphasizes by a few drops of water—a touch of vanilla too now—and there’s more of the carbon paper as well.

Palate: Comes in as indicated by the nose and then gets quite earthy and peppery as I swallow. A very good drinking strength and nice texture. More citrus here with time and some waxed paper (you know you’ve licked some). On the palate it’s the peaty complex that gets amplified by water—more paper now.

Finish: Long. The pepper and the peaty/earthy notes continue for a good while. No real sign of oak. With time the lemon hangs out for a long while too. A little drier with water but otherwise as on the palate.

Comments: Very nice old-school whisky. In fact, it reminded me a lot of my since-emptied bottle of 1950s White Horse. On the contemporary whisky map it falls on a line between Clynelish and Campbeltown. If this wasn’t so expensive I’d be tempted.

Rating: 89 points.