13/04/2024
Chapter 35
A chat with...Matthew Cordiner (Craigellachie Distillery) - #31
At present there are more than 50 distilleries in the Speyside whisky region. The greatest concentration of malt whisky producers compared to every other whisky region in Scotland. Among the many possible options to choose from, I decided to dedicate the first interview of this series to a Speyside distillery that is very dear to me; Craigellachie Distillery.
The first time I tried their core range 13yo expression I quickly realised that this distillery offered something different compared to the classic Speyside drams; a heavier and more powerful style of spirit. This is mostly due to their production process, which still uses traditional methods and, in my opinion, to the fact that all their expressions, regardless of the important quantities produced, are presented at 46% ABV or above, in natural colour, and non-chill filtered.
We had the pleasure to chat with Matthew Cordiner the Global Whisky Ambassador for John Dewar & Sons Single Malts (see mention).
Let’s see what he told us…
Hi Matthew, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. Please introduce yourself, and tell us a little bit about your whisky journey so far.
Hi Drampath, Thanks for having me. My Name is Matthew Cordiner and I’m the Global Whisky Ambassador for John Dewar & Sons Single Malts.
Growing up in Craigellachie (a small village right at the heart of Speyside; the Single Malt Whisky capital of the world), I’ve been surrounded by whisky for as long as I can remember – from my first trip to the Speyside Cooperage, to see how barrels are made when starting school in the village, to becoming a distillery tour guide in my summer holidays at university. Most days there have been conversations about whisky going on around me as I grew up with family and friends working in the industry.
Whisky for me is home for that reason – a sense of place, people, and passion. My favourite part of being a Global Malts Ambassador is getting to travel the world, sharing my love of whisky, and by extension my home… and it counts as work. After 15 years working in the industry, I still can’t quite believe it!
When and how did you join this growing industry?
I never gave much thought about working in the industry and went off to study at university. Returning to Speyside for the summer and getting a job as distillery tour-guide, I joined the team at Glenlivet, only planning for it be a ‘summer job’ but soon fell in love with whisky.
Joining the Chivas Brothers Graduate Programme when I finished studying in 2015, I spent the next three years as a Whisky Ambassador travelling the globe, starting with a stint in Edinburgh before leaving for the USA and then on to South Africa.
When my dream job came up at Aberfeldy, I joined the Brand Home team as Dewar’s Aberfeldy Brand Home Ambassador in 2018. Fulfilling my goal to become a Global Whisky Ambassador in 2020, I now not only get to represent Aberfeldy which was my ‘spiritual home’ for two years but also my real ‘home’ Craigellachie, at a global level along with the other fantastic malts in the portfolio; Aultmore, Royal Brackla, and Macduff.
Now tell us a bit more about Craigellachie Distillery, what is it that makes them stand out in the whisky industry?
Craigellachie is The Rock of Speyside, with the village built on a rocky hill at the centre of the region; the name literally translating from the Scots Gaelic for ‘Rocky Hill’.
Considered old fashioned when it was built in 1891, Craigellachie was described by famed whisky writer Alfred Barnard as “a style of whisky seldom met” back in the mid-1890’s and reminded him of the old Speyside style. Thanks to a craft, handed down through generations of local families that have worked our stills, that same style can still be enjoyed by drinkers today.
I’ve always thought of it as a sort of contradiction in a glass, having the sweet fruity notes of pineapple, alongside the meaty sulphurous notes of cordite / gunpowder; like a tropical firework… delicious! A big part of our robust character comes from the distilleries use of the old-fashioned worm tub condensers*. We are now one of only 20 distilleries left in Scotland using this traditional method to condense our spirit.
*Leo’s note: a traditional way of turning spirit vapour back into liquid, which contributes to create a spirit enriched of complexity and therefore character.
Can you tell us what Craigellachie Distillery's target audience is?
Craigellachie is definitely one for the geeks, but I’d say every whisky fan should give it a try!
We have a traditional bottling style, so all our expressions are 46% abv or above, natural colour, and non-chill filtered. Thanks to this traditional approach, our whiskies have won some big awards – not least the World’s Best Single Malt Whisky at the World Whisky Awards.
Can you tell us how you select your casks, and anticipate anything about what we can expect to see next?
Across the range you’ll see a combination of casks used for initial maturation, including both first fill ex-bourbon and sherry, refill, and re-char. Recently though we’ve started to experiment a lot more with interesting finishing casks for some special releases.
Inspired by the distillery’s use of old-fashioned worm tub condensers, we’ve started sourcing casks for finishing from producers of oak-aged spirits, who also stick to traditional methods, and like our muscular Speysider, use a ‘worm tub’ to create their liquid wares. Using casks from distilleries who make a ‘heavier’ style of spirit, which can stand up to the Single Malt’s distinct character, our Malt Master, Stephanie Macleod (considered one of the world’s best whisky makers, having won Master Blender of the Year 5 times at the International Whisky Competition) is able to demonstrate her expertise and skill in the art of maturation and wood management. Carefully hand-picking casks based on personal experience, and prior knowledge of working with certain types and styles.
For the inaugural edition of our Cask Collection, the award-winning 13-year-old Single Malt, initially matured in American oak – a combination of re-fill and re-char Bourbon barrels – was laid to rest in Bas-Armagnac casks sourced from the northernmost part of Gascony, in France, for just over a year, to undergo a second period of maturation. Finishing in former French Bas Armagnac barrels has softly rounded Craigellachie’s weighty style with warming notes of baked apples, dusted with heady cinnamon. Rich flavours of caramel shortcake are offset by signature syrupy pineapples and fiery bonfire night aromas.
This exciting series is something we plan to continue, so keep your eyes peeled for the next edition!
What advice would you give to a beginner that is approaching this world and perhaps starting his/her own collection?
I’d say that whisky is to be opened and shared, drunk, and enjoyed – so do just that!
That’s why I’m so proud of what we did with the Craigellachie 51YO, shattering the ‘glass ceiling’ of increasing whisky prices for bottles that will never be drunk. I will never forget trying the Craigellachie 51YO for the first time, as it was one of those rare perfect moments. It was back in 2018 at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival and marked the end of my first week in joining the team at John Dewar and Sons. As part of our now annual ‘Aperitivo Hour’ event, we turned up at the beach under the Craigellachie bridge with a few old and rare whiskies to share – for free – with festival goers and fans of our distilleries. We brought a phenomenal line up of drams, including the Aultmore 25YO and Craigellachie 31 & 33YO’s, but the pinnacle was the opening of the first ever bottle of Craigellachie 51YO anywhere in the world – every drop of which was poured for free to share with fans.
For me it was the ultimate celebration; being in my hometown where the whisky was made, surrounded by the distillery team who made it as well as family and friends, all sharing in that one moment. To this day it’s one of the most outstanding whiskies I’ve ever had the privilege of tasting. Even after 51 years in wood it still had that muscular ‘umami’ note that is unmistakably Craigellachie, alongside a wonderful bouquet of orchard fruits, waxy citrus, creamy vanilla, and that classic crisp sweet cereal note found across its releases. Whisky doesn’t get better than that.
Lastly, what is, generally speaking, your favourite whisky style (cask type, ageing, peated/unpeated etc.)? What’s your dram of choice at the moment and/or your go to drams on a Friday evening?
I am a Speysider through and through, and that’s where I tend to lean when it comes to flavour. For me it’s all about balance, with lots of florals, fresh fruits, and a hint of spice – and in the case of Craigellachie something you can’t quite put your finger on that keeps you coming back to it time and time again.
A real hidden gem for me though is Aultmore; with its ethereal floral fresh grassy style. I think it’s probably the best kept secret in Speyside, and a must for fans of the region.
Official website: https://www.craigellachie.com/
Drams
and more...
Today's drams
- Craigellachie 13yo – 46%
- Craigellachie 13yo Bas-Armagnac casks – 46%
- Craigellachie 17yo – 46%
- Craigellachie 23yo – 46%
John Dewar & Sons Ltd
John Dewar & Sons, Ltd. is Dewar’s parent company, and it currently owns five whisky distilleries in Scotland: Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, Macduff, and Royal Brackla.
The company was initially founded and established in Perth, Scotland by John Dewar in 1846. In 1925 became part of the Distillers Company Ltd (known as DCL), which then became Diageo in 1997. In 1998, to comply with regulators’ demands to preserve competition in the liquor industry, Diageo sold the company to Bacardi Limited (see: NYT article). Bacardi is at present the largest family-owned spirits company in the world.