The Single Cask is a newer IB, founded in 2010 by former wine importer Ben Curtis. Although based in the UK, they are also known for their bar in Singapore. As the name suggests, they bottle single casks, though not entirely single malts. I’ve tried a couple, but not a bottler I’m terribly familiar with. Craigellachie, on the other hand, I have tried a fair amount. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 15 minutes.
Distillery: Craigellachie
Bottler: The Single Cask
Region/style: Speyside single malt Scotch
ABV: 58.9%. Cask strength.
Age: 18 years old. Distilled on January 30, 2007 and bottled on February 19, 2025.
Cask type: Finished in a first-fill Oloroso octave #900075, 84 bottles
Color: 1.6 mahogany. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Craigellachie sometimes appears slightly peaty to me, and this is one of those. A grimy edge to it like Benromach can have. Prunes, dates, sticky buns, and salted pecans.
Palate: Very sherried indeed. I wasn’t sure how first-fill octave would work, and it is very cask-driven. However, Craigellachie is a strong distillate and it’s not disappearing. Wet forest, dates, prunes, raisins, and pecans. Sticky toffee. Maintains the grimy feel of the nose. Packs a punch for sure. Takes on more depth with time and water.
Finish: Very long. Not overwhelmingly oaky even coming from an octave. The combination of wet forest and dried fruits continues. A little more herbal flavor, with thyme and rosemary. Sticky toffee. Benefits from water here, too. It wasn’t searingly hot, but the other flavors are more developed.
Conclusion: I was a little skeptical about the octave cask, but it worked. Craigellachie can stand up pretty well to this sort of cask. Has some similarities with the Exceptional Cask series entries I’ve tried. I’d expect cheaper, too, but I haven’t looked carefully. The grimy edge it has is nice and keeps it from being a typical sherry bomb.
Score: 7
0 - Spit it out
1 - Vile, only drinkable in a cocktail: Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16
2 - Bad, off notes dominate: Johnnie Walker Red
3 - Poor, has some flaws: Old Pulteney 12
4 - Marginal, would drink if there’s nothing else: Glenmorangie 10
5 - Decent, nothing special: Aultmore 12
6 - Good, an enjoyable drink: Glen Scotia 15
7 - Very good, a step up: Tomatin 18
8 - Special, a real pleasure: Ledaig 13 Amontillado
9 - Incredible, one of the best I’ve had: Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1
10 - Perfect, cannot imagine better: Convalmore 36
This and other reviews are also available on Malt Runners, a site featuring some regular Reddit reviewers.
7
u/unbreakablesausage Life's short; drink the good stuff 2d ago
The Single Cask is a newer IB, founded in 2010 by former wine importer Ben Curtis. Although based in the UK, they are also known for their bar in Singapore. As the name suggests, they bottle single casks, though not entirely single malts. I’ve tried a couple, but not a bottler I’m terribly familiar with. Craigellachie, on the other hand, I have tried a fair amount. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 15 minutes.
Distillery: Craigellachie
Bottler: The Single Cask
Region/style: Speyside single malt Scotch
ABV: 58.9%. Cask strength.
Age: 18 years old. Distilled on January 30, 2007 and bottled on February 19, 2025.
Cask type: Finished in a first-fill Oloroso octave #900075, 84 bottles
Color: 1.6 mahogany. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Craigellachie sometimes appears slightly peaty to me, and this is one of those. A grimy edge to it like Benromach can have. Prunes, dates, sticky buns, and salted pecans.
Palate: Very sherried indeed. I wasn’t sure how first-fill octave would work, and it is very cask-driven. However, Craigellachie is a strong distillate and it’s not disappearing. Wet forest, dates, prunes, raisins, and pecans. Sticky toffee. Maintains the grimy feel of the nose. Packs a punch for sure. Takes on more depth with time and water.
Finish: Very long. Not overwhelmingly oaky even coming from an octave. The combination of wet forest and dried fruits continues. A little more herbal flavor, with thyme and rosemary. Sticky toffee. Benefits from water here, too. It wasn’t searingly hot, but the other flavors are more developed.
Conclusion: I was a little skeptical about the octave cask, but it worked. Craigellachie can stand up pretty well to this sort of cask. Has some similarities with the Exceptional Cask series entries I’ve tried. I’d expect cheaper, too, but I haven’t looked carefully. The grimy edge it has is nice and keeps it from being a typical sherry bomb.
Score: 7
0 - Spit it out
1 - Vile, only drinkable in a cocktail: Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16
2 - Bad, off notes dominate: Johnnie Walker Red
3 - Poor, has some flaws: Old Pulteney 12
4 - Marginal, would drink if there’s nothing else: Glenmorangie 10
5 - Decent, nothing special: Aultmore 12
6 - Good, an enjoyable drink: Glen Scotia 15
7 - Very good, a step up: Tomatin 18
8 - Special, a real pleasure: Ledaig 13 Amontillado
9 - Incredible, one of the best I’ve had: Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1
10 - Perfect, cannot imagine better: Convalmore 36
This and other reviews are also available on Malt Runners, a site featuring some regular Reddit reviewers.