1)Craigellachie 2013/2023 10YO 52.1%
Distilled at Craigellachie distillery in 2013 and aged in a single bourbon barrel for 10 years before bottling in 2023. Strength at 52.1%.
Nose: Lemon, white sugar, little sharpness (Sulphur), small hints of leather notes. Dry yellow lawn and fresh mango skin.
Mouth: Sweet, little honey notes. There is a presence of waxiness that is glued to my top palate, with the first sip more obvious than the subsequent ones. Nutty and dry hay follows. Still, a few sulphur notes linger. Good body.
Finish: oak spice. Sweetness still lingers towards the end.
I was expecting more sulphuric notes from Craigellachie, but that was not the case here. The barrel manages to soften the liquid, balance out some of the more harsh notes and enhance the sweet tone of Craigellachie. A twist and switch to the nuttiness provides an extra depth to the liquid itself.
It somewhat manage to achieve a level of hardness, softness & sweetness in one drink.
Nice Scale: 82/100
-Pleasant and drinkable
-Not niche flavours, most would enjoy it during a gathering (Sweet fruit, honey, soft & nuts)
-It gives a depth but not too much depth, so not for the Philosopher drinkers.
-Very reasonable price for the quality, wink wink.
2) Staoisha (Bunnahabhain) 2013/2024 10YO 52%
A peated Bunnahabhain, apparently Staoisha is the same as Moine, later name is for Official bottling-tho I'm sure I have seen it on some of the IB labels. What's the difference between these and Toiteach a Dha (also a peated expression of Bunna.)? TAD is a mix of peated and unpeated malt, but S/M are fully peated malts @40ppm.
Distilled in 2013 and was initially aged in a refill hogshead before finished in a 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel for at least 7 years. A bourbon bourbon then!
Nose: Rubber, leather, ashy tray with smoke coming off the cigarettes. Salty and BBQ bacon and seashell (but not as strong as some of the IB Caol Ila!) Not too much of the sweet notes, just a little bit underneath the rest that I can still catch on and off (Its lemon, pear & honey). It delivers a well-structured punch on the nose.
Mouth: Gentle in the mouth, not as fierce as the nose shows. Good thickness, you feel the body is round as well. Afterwards, with leather and ashy peat starts to show. A little waxy feeling coating around the mouth, with shy honey notes appearing and disappearing. Pepper and sweet- a tuned-down vanilla.
Finish: smoky
Mouth is more friendly than the nose, you will probably expecting some fierce notes in the mouth, but nope. Much more welcoming in the mouth, they take things slowly, not in a hurry to show all the expressions, instead it comes one by one, good layers.
The ashy and rubber nose reminds me of Ledaig.
Nice Scale: 83/100
-Daily dram, yes
-It's peat but not disturbing
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