Cragganmore - 25

Photo from The Whisky Exchange

At the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival they give out Whisky Awards after a blind tasting is first done by a small panel and then the shortlisted whiskies in three different categories are judged blind by the visitors of the festival.

The winning expressions were served in the #Dram16Winners Twitter Tasting on the 15th of June. We all were presented by the following drams; Glen Grant 10, Glenfiddich 12, Glen Moray 16, Glenfiddich 18, Cragganmore 25 and the Glenfiddich 21.

The Cragganmore 25 is part of the 2014 Diageo Special Release. Distilled in 1988, matured in refill American Oak casks, bottled in 2014 at 51.4% and in total 3372 bottles released. A lovely rich and complex dram I found out while nosing and tasting.

The nose has a sweet fruity and spicy side to it with a mix of orchard and tropical fruits, ginger and coconut. The palate and nose are very balanced and have a good body to it. Palate gives me also some vanilla, honey, galia melon, salty ham, loads of different fruits, salty butter and spices. A medium length and sweet finish on it with spices, dry coconut and chocolate, like a Bounty chocolate bar. Scoring me an 8 out of 10. A damn good dram.