I have been looking forward to getting my hands on Whisky Review: Cragganmore Distillers Edition. Bottled at 40% abv, SRP $85 and priced at $85. This nose is incredibly sweet, it blooms into honeysuckle with a pinch of peat smoke, cucumber,, it promises genuine character.
Nose
This nose is incredibly sweet, it blooms into honeysuckle with a pinch of peat smoke, cucumber, pepper, and fresh leather.
Palate
Very mellow until you get a soft amber of burn in the chest. The whiskey is oily and full bodied as it envelopes the mouth and tongue. The dark sweetness of the Port, almost like plums, is present along with the oak char, peat, and cocoa. The finish is long and as it lingers you find conflict between the Port and Scotch. Your palate does a dance between faint notes of plum and wine to grain and oak before a whiff of smoke takes over.
Finish
12-year-old finished in port-seasoned casks, 40% abv, SRP $85. The port and whiskey just dont play as well together as they should for this one. The underlying Scotch is good, but the Port finish really didnt complement its strengths. The Port added a different profile to follow and more or less did its own thing. I would have wanted the two profiles to mingle a little more, for the wine to compliment the grains and take full advantage of the range of flavors.
The Bottom Line
Whisky Review: Cragganmore Distillers Edition is fine — not bad, not great, just fine. At $85. This nose is incredibly sweet, it blooms into honeysuckle with a pinch of peat smoke, cucumber,, I think there are better options in this range if you are willing to look around.
