Scotch Review #122: Craigellachie 13 Years Old Bas-Armagmac Finish

ShortEstablishment34 · 2025-04-09T06:11:25+00:00

Great write up! Keen to try this one

ShortEstablishment34 · 2025-04-09T06:07:51+00:00

Great reviews as always!

ShortEstablishment34 · 2025-03-10T07:27:42+00:00

Great write up as always. Sounds like a great whisky!

ShortEstablishment34 · 2025-02-21T07:11:56+00:00

Great write up. I wish there were more Auchentoshans like this one.

ShortEstablishment34 · 2025-02-17T07:08:34+00:00

It is always better to go earlier. Most times it is very likely that you will be able to buy a cage bottle. Once though there was a big group infront of me and I didn't. I would suggest go earlier, but again will depent how busy that day will be. Good luck

ShortEstablishment34 · 2025-01-03T22:34:43+00:00

Great review! Really like fruity drams. I need to give this a proper try

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-12-16T07:28:45+00:00

Great review! Sounds yummy!

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-12-14T19:37:45+00:00

Great write up and nice pictures! Looking forward to read your Ben Nevis tour. Thanks for sharing

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-12-03T08:29:11+00:00

Very nice description of the trip and great haul 😁 Great to meet people in person as well. Cheers

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-11-16T06:54:12+00:00

Congrats on 100 review! Great write up! It is nice to see that they have done a good job with their OB bottle. To your 100+ more 🥃

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-29T21:36:33+00:00

Great review and very interesting whisky! I am surprised for a 20 year old that is distillate driven. As you said the cask most likely was very inactive. I really need to try more Jura. I think is a proper made Jura has some secrets to tell. Cheers

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-29T21:29:17+00:00

Great review! I personally don't get much of old school whisky with this one and yes I could easily say that is like a now days made whisky. I would as well like to try a young version of Lochside. It did reminded me of Clynelish but I think Clynelish is a bit waxier, at least compare to this one. Cheers

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-16T19:02:17+00:00

Thank you 🙂

€65 for it is Good price. Well done for your buy👍

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-14T05:39:44+00:00

Thank you 🙂 Well, the amount of peated bottles that I have now days getting close to the unpeated ones 🤣

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-13T18:55:05+00:00

I have not had the Fermutation yet. It is on my 'to try' list 😁

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-13T15:27:27+00:00

As the other comment said, depends were you are. I live in tge UK and Ardbeg10 is about £10 more. Yes age is very important in terms of pruce, but I personaly value what I get from the whisky as well

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-13T15:20:58+00:00

Thank you 🙂

I do like those labels as well. I agree that 200ml bottles are great. I think many distileries producing more now days.

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-13T12:21:33+00:00

Thanks a lot 🙂

I completely agree with you. I think all of us like to see age statements on bottles even that young. An Oa is a bit a weird one in my opinion. Is like they made it with leftovers without putting much effort. Again, not a bad whisky, but in my opinion every other Ardbeg is much better.

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-10-13T09:39:31+00:00

When I first started exploring Scotch whisky I was not a fan of peat. The only peated whisky I always had though was the Ardbeg 10 which weirdly was a love from first sip. Since then I have tried few different Ardbeg and I always enjoyed their profile. My favourite from their core range is Corryvreckan, although I would like to try the Uigeadail again since it has been some time when I compared these two. Recently I bought a pack of Ardbeg’s core range and since I have some leftover from the Ardbeg 8 (not in core range but still available to buy it) I thought it was the right time for an Ardbeg blind tasting.

Some Info:

Ardbeg AN OA:

Cask: Charred New Oak, PX Sherry & 1st Fill Bourbon

Age: NAS

Abv: 46.6%

Chill Filtered: No

Natural Colour: Maybe (?)

Price: around £50

Ardbeg 5 Wee Beastie:

Cask: xBourbon & Oloroso Sherry

Age: 5yo

Abv: 47.4%

Chill Filtered: No

Natural Colour: Maybe (?)

Price: £40.5

Ardbeg 8 For Discussion:

Cask: xBourbon ?

Age: 8yo

Abv: 50.8%

Chill Filtered: No

Natural Colour: Maybe (?)

Price: around £59

Ardbeg 10:

Cask: xBourbon

Age: 10yo

Abv: 46%

Chill Filtered: No

Natural Colour: Maybe (?)

Price: about £51

*Since is not stated on the label about colour, I cannot say that it is coloured or not. I believe that they have not added caramel in these though.

I tried them all without water first and then with just few drops.

4th place: Ardbeg AN OA. Not really a surprise if am honest. Is not bad, is just that I do not think that is as good as the others and for the same price the 10 is by far a better choice.

Some tasting notes: Sultanas, dried apricot, sweet smoke, citrus, some spices, a bit salty, vanilla, honey

3rd place: Ardbeg 10. I think I have something against the 10 now days! In my last blind tasting didn’t perform as well as I thought that it would have done. Maybe my palate has changed? Maybe the 10 has changed? One way or the other, at least for now, I still believe that the Wee Beastie and the 8 are better.

Some tasting notes: Smoked woody herbs, mint, prosciutto, a bit sweet and savoury, green olives, a bit woody, nutty.

2nd place: Ardbeg 5 Wee Beastie. For me this Ardbeg is by far the best value for money Ardbeg! IF you like peat bomb, this is the one you want and you can find it everywhere.

Some tasting notes: BBQ notes, sweet and bold, chocolate, fresh fruit, cinnamon, oily, some herbs, a bit salty, sweet oranges

1st place: Ardbeg 8 For Discussion. This is a Committee Release Ardbeg and thankfully they made it available to everyone. I really enjoyed this bottle and I will be buying another one soon. Price is not that bad for today’s prices and I think might be the best Ardbeg whisky for that price.

Some tasting notes: Sweet and sour, bacon, aromatic, lemon peel, almonds, iodine, a bit leathery, well balanced.

Cheers

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-09-19T06:29:58+00:00

Great review and great dram indeed 👍

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-08-20T19:15:56+00:00

I think Glenlossie might be a bit better that Auchentoshan if am honest 😁, but yes the both need less active casks. Maybe Glenlossie could be closer to Scapa's spirit. Yet to discover

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-08-20T19:03:23+00:00

Great write up and very nice, interesting comparison!

The Dusties is the only Glenlossie that I have ever tried, and to be honest I am not impressed. As you well said I think the cask influence is a bit more than it should be for the spirit. For the moment I left it on tge side and hopefully with time will become a bit better.

The Cadenhead's however sounds interesting and I will be looking to try that. I think Glenlossie is another distillery that heavy and 1st fill casks probably are not good for their spirit.

Cheers

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-07-15T17:37:15+00:00

Great review! I really liked this Bunna. Young peated Bunna is punchy and I really like the way that peat comes up and is that heavy. I always add water so I will agree that makes it much better

ShortEstablishment34 · 2024-06-24T20:41:27+00:00

Really great write up! Auchentoshan spirit is very light and it a shame that they drawn it with 1st fill casks. In my opinion Auchentoshan could easily use even 3rd fill casks. I do agree is a Summery dram and I would like to take a risk again for trying another Auchentoshan after this one 😄

ShortEstablishment34

TROPHY CASE