Craigellachie 23 Exceptional Cask & New Longrow 114 Reviewed!

You can skip ahead, but you’ll miss a lot of great information along the way!

Shortcuts/Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
1:43 – Craig Nosing
3:59 – Craig Tasting
8:32 – Longrow Nosing
10:40 – Longrow Tasting

Craigellachie Exceptional Cask 23-Year-Old is a Speyside malt that was bottled from a single cask (#1) that only contained enough for 606 bottles. It was barreled on 8/19/1999 and bottled at a cask strength of 55.1%abv on 11/03/2022. It was finished in ex oloroso sherry casks and retails around $300. Here in Texas a store near me was just getting these in May of 2025 – so they’re still out there. Situated in the Speyside region of Scotland, the distillery is perched on a rocky hill overlooking the confluence of the Rivers Fiddich and Spey. The name Craigellachie itself means "rocky hill" in Gaelic. The distillery was founded in 1891 by Alexander Edward. The whisky itself is known for its robust, almost muscular, character, often described as "meaty" or "chewy," with a subtle hint of sulphur. The sulphur is due to the use of worm tub condensers, which limit the amount of copper contact during distillation and thus preserve a touch of it. But when combined with the traditional distillery profile notes of pineapple and possibly some sherried notes, it usually just presents itself as a sweet (almost Hawaiian bbq) meatiness.

The new Longrow 114 (as of May 2025) is of course a peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Springbank distillery, but it’ll only come out once a year, and this is Batch 1. It’s distinctive due to its combination of heavy peating (50 PPM), double distillation, maturation in refill bourbon and Pinot Noir casks (probably ex-Longrow Red casks), and its robust bottling strength of 114 proof (57% ABV). While it doesn’t have an age statement, this unique combination results in a Campbeltown whisky with a bold, fruity, and smoky character. It’s non chill-filtered, which preserves its natural colors and flavors and retails for around $80-$100.

As of June 2025, my current bottle count is over 3,300. I am a Certified Specialist of Spirits and have also been accredited by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT). I've been actively collecting for 31 years and what started as a small basic home bar has transformed (with the help and understanding of my wonderful wife) into this collection and career. Speaking of my career, I’m super proud to announce that my “Saints Alley “Nobleman” Rye Whiskey was named “Best American Rye” at the 2024 World Whisky Awards! But don’t forget that our other Bourbons have also won multiple big awards and are on Total Wine shelves now! Our Flagship Port & Cognac received a Double Platinum at Fred Minnick's 2024 Ascot Awards, and "The Herald” - our Armagnac finished Bourbon - took Double Gold at the Whiskies of the World competition! Stay tuned for my 10 Year Saints Alley Herald Cigar Blend coming fall of 2025! Given my decades of consumer/reviewer experience, you know I’m working hard to continue bringing you great whiskeys that I'm proud of as a collector, reviewer & blender! Thank you for watching & please remember to drink responsibly. Cheers!