You should never, ever see a bottle of this at an auction, behind a bar, or on a collector’s shelf. That’s because the cask only produced a total of 51 bottles and Craigellachie’s owners intend to pour all of them at a series of free tastings in London, New York City, South Africa, and Australia during 2018 and 2019 (along with a handful of media tastings to promote the online competitions used to select the winning tasters).

The nose is very subtle and complex, with notes of dark honey, beef broth, muted spices, and hints of tropical fruits. Those hints come alive on the palate, which is vibrant, fruity, and tart with mango, papaya, grilled pineapple, dried flowers, honey, and gentle hints of ginger and nutmeg. The finish is long and subtle with tropical fruits and a hint of spice, along with a very subtle kiss of smoke for a great complexity and balance. Outstanding! (April, 2019)