🥃 Craigellachie 13 Year Old
The youngest expression in Craigellachie's core range: 13 years, released September 2014; 46% ABV.
Craigellachie 13 Year Old is the youngest expression in the permanent range of Craigellachie distillery in Speyside. According to Difford's Guide, it was released in September 2014 among the distillery's first four own bottlings. In 2023 Bacardi named it part of the core range alongside the 17- and 23-year-old. Strength: 46% ABV.
The whisky is made from malted barley dried over an oil-fired kiln, and the spirit is cooled in worm tubs, which gives the heavy, slightly sulphury style. According to Difford's Guide, the distillery matures its whisky mainly in ex-bourbon casks; for the 13-year-old, the cask type is not stated separately. Difford's describes the taste as baked apple, clove, black pepper and charcoal dust; with water, vanilla appears.
Why this matters to you. Whiskynotes calls the 13-year-old the simplest entry point into the range: the 17- and 23-year-old have the same strength but longer maturation. Do not confuse it with the 13-year-old finished in Armagnac casks, which is a separate series. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 46% ABV |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | 13 years |
| Raw material | malted barley, dried over an oil-fired kiln |
| Year founded | 2014 |
| Distillation method | twice, copper stills with worm tubs |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890): Single Malt Scotch Whisky |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Craigellachie 13 Year Old → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Craigellachie, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Dewar's, 🥃 Craigellachie 17 Year Old, 🥃 Craigellachie 17 Year Old, 🥃 Craigellachie 23 Year Old, 🥃 Craigellachie 23 Year Old
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that the sulphur notes in Craigellachie 13 are a flaw?
No. The heavy, slightly sulphury style comes from the worm tubs and the specific malt; the distillery keeps it on purpose.
When did Craigellachie 13 Year Old appear?
In September 2014, among the distillery's first four own bottlings, according to Difford's Guide.
What is the strength of Craigellachie 13 Year Old?
46% ABV, according to Difford's Guide and Bacardi.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol.
- 🥃 Dewar's — Scottish blended whisky of the Dewar family: began in Perth in 1846, Aberfeldy from 1898, White Label from 1899; owned by Bacardi since 1998; White Label is 40% ABV.
- 🥃 Craigellachie 17 Year Old — The middle expression of Craigellachie's core range: 17 years, released September 2014; 46% ABV.
Similar
🥃 Craigellachie 23 Year Old · 🥃 Craigellachie 17 Year Old · 🥃 Aultmore 12 Year Old · 🥃 Aultmore 18 Year Old · 🥃 GlenAllachie 18 Year Old · 🥃 Benromach Contrasts: Organic
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Craigellachie 13 Year Old (46 %; one of four distillery bottlings released in September 2014)
- Whiskynotes: Craigellachie 13 yo (26.11.2014; 46 %, OB 2014; youngest option in the new core range)
- Bacardi (official newsroom): Craigellachie launches cask finishing collection inspired by its worm tubs (03.04.2023; core range: Craigellachie 13, 17 and 23 Years Old; 46 % ABV)
- Difford's Guide: Craigellachie Distillery (13, 17, 19, 23 YO September 2014; mostly ex-bourbon, about 10 % refill European oak; oil-fired kiln at Glenesk; worm tubs)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)
Also listed under
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch WhiskySpeyside whisky
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch WhiskyCraigellachie
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch Whisky
- SpiritsWhiskyCraigellachie