Cragganmore

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Cragganmore

No: 37
Producer: United
Region: Highlands
District: Speyside - Multimap view
OS Sheet 28 ; Map reference NJ 164 365 ; Latitude 57 24.7° N, Longitude 3 23.4° W
Founded 1869 ; Operating Status (1999): operating

The distillery is quite small. Once part owned by the Ballindalloch Estate it is high on the Spey, where the river meets the Avon and Livet. Cragganmore was founded in 1869, rebuilt in 1902, and extended in 1964.
© Michael Jackson 1994

Their own notes add that the Ballindalloch Castle estate is still the private home of the MacPherson-Grants and that Cragganmore is situated on its grounds. The distillery was founded by the giant (22 stone) John Smith who had already run the Macallan and Glenfarclas distilleries and had been commissioning manager at the Glenlivet. Craggan Mor was chosen as there was plenty of local barley and peat and a good (and dammable) water supply. Smith paid the Laird at Ballindalloch rent 'in kind' for his tenancy and raw materials to the benefit of both parties. At the time there was also a newly opened railway line up the Spey valley (since dismantled and now part of the Speyside Way) and Cragganmore was designed from the start to make use of it. Like most distilleries, Cragganmore is proud of its traditions which in this case include the use of wooden rather than stainless-steel washbacks. Their stills are also unusual in having T-shaped heads, designed to reflux the heavier, oilier elements of the vapour.
jhb/o.m.

A copy of United Distillers' own illustrated pamphlet about Cragganmore can be found here and there is further UD-orientated material in their scotch.com InfoCenter, here

Distillery rating: 4*

Ballindalloch, Banffshire, AB37 9AB
Tel: 01807-500202

tastings

18 yr old, 80 proof
Crag' 12 year old is one of my favorites at home. The 18 year old was spicier, but had an even smoother finish. Lovely. (I also visited the Cragganmore distillery, which is not open to the public. They sold only the 12 year old, and basically told me to get lost. Oh well.) [lh]

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Search Dr. Do'g's index for the history of Cragganmore
There just might be some news about Cragganmore in The "Scotsman" newspaper