Scotch Whisky Review #479: Cragganmore 21 Year (1989) Diageo Special Release 2010

Distillery: Cragganmore.

Region: Speyside.

Age: 21 Year. Distilled in 1989. Bottled in 2010.

ABV: 56.0%.

Cask Type: American Refill Oak.

Color: 0.7, Amber.

This is the 5th installment of this years’ Christmas Countdown. You can check out previous editions as well (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).

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Nose: It’s a mix of fruity and creamy. Vanilla custard, lemon curd, and green apples are what come to mind.

Palate: This needs water to really get much out of. Before adding water though the mouthfeel is very chewy. The notes that do come through the heat are mostly in line with the nose. Adding some water brings out some more active fruity notes. Lemon zest and lemon rinds are the dominant notes. A bit of candied ginger and pepper also come through.

Finish: Medium in length. There isn’t a lot going on flavorwise. It leaves a lingering heat.

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Conclusion: I haven’t had a lot of Cragganmore so I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this dram. The nose was promising with some dessert and fruit notes. The mouthfeel was really fun, perhaps more “Mortlach meaty” in mouthfeel than any Mortlach I’ve ever had. The flavors in the palate were nice, though simple and straightforward. The finish, however, was just not up to snuff. The lingering heat it leaves doesn’t make it unpleasant but it certainly runs the risk of doing so. Overall, not bad, but certainly nothing particularly exciting.

Rating: 81.

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Scotch Whisky Review #479, Speyside Review #171, Whisky Network Review #641

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.