Craigellachie 1994 - Single Malt Scotch Whisky - 32 years old -

Craigellachie Distillery

Located in the heart of Speyside, in the Scottish village of the same name, Craigellachie Distillery overlooks the confluence of the Rivers Spey and Fiddich. Built in 1890 under the direction of Alexander Edward and Peter Mackie, it began producing whisky in 1891. Its architecture was designed by Charles Doig, an important figure in Scottish distillery construction during the late 19th century. Originally, Craigellachie was intended, in part, to supply malt whisky for the famous White Horse blend associated with Peter Mackie.

From the outset, Craigellachie stood out for its unusually powerful style for a Speyside distillery. While the region is often associated with elegant and fruity whiskies, Craigellachie developed a more robust spirit, sometimes described as meaty, with malty characteristics and exotic fruit aromas. This distinctive personality allows its whisky to retain a recognisable identity even after many years of maturation.

One of Craigellachie's defining features is its traditional condensers, known as worm tubs. After distillation, alcohol vapours pass through long copper coils immersed in tanks of cold water. Once widespread throughout the Scottish whisky industry, this system is now far less common than modern shell-and-tube condensers. The more limited interaction between the vapours and copper helps preserve certain compounds responsible for the spirit's dense and powerful character.

The distillery operates four copper pot stills, two for the first distillation and two for the second. As with other Scottish single malt distilleries, its whisky is made from malted barley, water and yeast. Double distillation concentrates the alcohol and allows the distillers to select the portion of the spirit intended for maturation, while the traditional condensers contribute to Craigellachie's characteristic aromatic profile.

For many years, Craigellachie's whisky was primarily used in blends, although it is also released under the distillery's own name. Its official range includes expressions aged 13, 17 and 23 years. Today, the distillery belongs to the Bacardi group through its Scottish whisky business, John Dewar & Sons, while retaining several production features inherited from its history.

Combining Victorian heritage, traditional equipment and a distinctive aromatic character, Craigellachie occupies a unique place in Speyside. Its whiskies demonstrate that a single malt from this region can combine rich fruitiness, a powerful structure and more robust, meaty notes, far removed from the profiles generally considered typical of Speyside.

The Whisky Jury, Independent Bottler

Founded in 2019 in Mechelen, Belgium, by Joeri Van Den Broeck, The Whisky Jury is an independent bottler specialising in the selection of distinctive casks of whisky and other spirits. The company's name plays on the phonetic similarity between its founder's first name, Joeri, and the English word "Jury". It also reflects a simple idea: every enthusiast is ultimately the only judge of what they enjoy in their glass.

A whisky enthusiast for many years before establishing his business, Joeri Van Den Broeck decided to take the plunge despite the challenges of the cask market. Finding interesting spirits, obtaining samples and gaining access to older stocks require time, patience and extensive research. The Whisky Jury's first selection, a Ben Nevis distilled in 1995 and matured for almost 24 years, was released in 2019. This inaugural bottling, drawn from a refill hogshead, produced 245 individually hand-numbered bottles.

The Whisky Jury's philosophy is built around particularly demanding cask selection. Joeri Van Den Broeck explains that he asks himself one essential question before choosing a cask: would he buy a bottle of this spirit himself? If the answer is no, the cask is rejected. This approach places drinking pleasure and the intrinsic quality of the spirit ahead of the prestige of a name or the pressure to release new bottlings.

Scotch whisky was the starting point of the venture, with selections from distilleries in the Highlands, Speyside and Islay, among other regions. However, The Whisky Jury soon developed an interest in other categories, particularly rum. Bottlings of Cognac, Calvados and mezcal have also joined the portfolio. This diversity reflects a desire to discover distinctive spirits without being restricted to a particular region or production method.

The releases frequently take the form of single casks, offered in limited quantities. The company pays particular attention to the expression of the spirit and the influence of maturation. Some casks reveal the personality of a distillery through several decades of ageing, while others provide an opportunity to explore younger profiles or lesser-known styles. The distillery's name alone is never a guarantee: it is above all the quality of the sample that guides the final decision.

The Whisky Jury's visual identity is also part of its story. Its founder wanted to capture that particular moment when a whisky enthusiast holds a beautiful whisky up to the light before tasting it. The label illustration began with a personal sketch, later developed by an illustrator. From the very first release, bottles were individually numbered, reinforcing the limited nature of each selection.

The development of The Whisky Jury has relied on a network of specialist retailers and partners who share an interest in independent bottlings. Joeri Van Den Broeck has repeatedly expressed his desire not to pursue rapid growth at the expense of quality. Every new selection must offer enough interest to deserve its place in the collection.

With The Whisky Jury, independent bottling is above all a matter of curiosity, tasting and patience. From Scottish single malts to mature rums from Trinidad, Jamaica or Guyana, each release offers a particular interpretation of a spirit and its maturation. An approach in which the cask must convince through what it contains, regardless of the reputation of its origin.