Whisky : Cragganmore 16 Year SMWS 37.119 “Plum sauce rancio-fest”

Country/Region : Speyside

ABV : 56.5%

Cask : 14Y Ex-Bourbon/ 2Y First Fill PX Hogshead

Age : 16 Years (Distilled 11 June 2002)

Nose :  Stewed plums, sweet figs, and a rich hoisin sauce lead the way.  The aroma is rich and heady with whiffs of musk and fruity sangria.  At turns spices come through, mostly a sweet cinnamon and clove that give the impression of a mulled wine or poached stone fruits.

Palate : Fruity, rich, and slightly oily, it is like a pungent perfume.  The sweetness of overripe strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and cherries dominate with just a bit of the spice and a touch of salt coming through.  There is an effervescent quality that gives the berries the impression of a fizzing strawberry or cherry soda.  Overtime the sugary flavor notes build up and the dram becomes cloying sweet with artificial aspartame taking over along with a dry astringency.

Finish : Medium length mix of fruits and a heap of sugar.

Score : 3

Mental Image : Black Cherry Cream Soda.

Something Better : Bladnoch 21 Year (similar dryness, orange cream soda, more balanced fruit)

Something Similar : Elements of Islay Peat & Sherry (similar overripe fruit, more complex)

Something Similar : Yellow Spot Single Pot Still (similar artificial sweetness, more honey/spice)

Notes : The nose on this was perfectly pleasant, even the first sip was not bad, but the saccharine nature of dram reared its monstrous head and took over.  The dram quickly transformed from a light sweet soda to cloyingly artificially sweetened medicine.  I was as if after every sip someone added a teaspoon of Sweet & Low to the glass.

The influence of the PX cask was quite strong with prevalent berries and bit of sweet spice— but the intersection of a very sweet malt and the PX ultimately created a monster.  The addition of a few drops of water to the glass did not help sort things out.  Water seemed to break the back of the body— even a few drops left the dram feeling watered or washed out.  The sweetness became more nondescript as a lot of the berry notes disappeared.   

I was pretty surprised at the result.  I have had several solid Cragganmores, even a great one from SMWS, but this one was a huge whiff.  Easily one of the least favorites among tasters that evening, this one was most in danger of being voted off the island or most likely to be used to clean a garbage disposal.  It might have some redeeming qualities as a mixer— it might appeal to those who just love really sweet whisky.