Fruitful Spirits Craigellachie 22yo 2004 Cask #302728 & Fruitful Spirits Glentauchers 15yo 2011 Cask #700014

Fruitful Spirits Craigellachie 22yo 2004 Cask #302728

Region: Speyside

ABV: 50.6%

Price: £119.50

Distilled at Craigellachie in March 2004 and bottled by Fruitful Spirits in May 2026 after 22 years of maturation, this single-cask release from the bottler’s Old and Rare Selection was matured entirely in refill hogshead #302728. The cask produced 239 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with a lot of warm butter, a mixture of brioche dough and shortbread, light peach and apricot aromas, alongside lemon water and fresh green apple flesh. On first nosing, this is very pleasant, and very much not in the standard Craigellachie character we're used to. Time and air brings out a bit more foostiness, but it's more like fermenting fruit. The alcohol is well integrated and we're also getting more vanilla and desiccated coconut as we continue nosing.

Palate

The palate opens with sweet citrus, candied lemon peel, apricot jam, a little mud, and an old Riesling diesel-like flavour. It's definitely more Craigellachie-like now, more foost, a bit damp, wet leaves, and custard cream biscuits as we move into the latter palate. The mouthfeel is nice, textured, oily, and the finish lingers for a good length, mostly bourbon cask sweetness, vanilla, fudge and a little coconut. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose has a little more wood influence, more oak sweetness, and a little more biscuitiness. There's still a lot of the apricot and peach notes lingering in the background.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate has all of that upfront sweet citrus still intact, more fermented fruit, and a bit of a drier, more herbal finish. The water seems to have softened the funk somewhat, but there's a bit of a lactic note lingering on the finish. It's also got a bit more dry wood on the finish too.

Conclusion

An atypical Craigellachie. Not as funky as we were expecting - the nose is much softer with mushy sweet fruits, and the palate has a bit of foost but not overwhelming funk. It's a solid whisky, and even if it's still a bit too much for us, we can't deny its quality.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

Pretty good value for a 22yo single cask.

Fruitful Spirits Glentauchers 15yo 2011 Cask #700014

Region: Speyside

ABV: 50.3%

Price: £69.99

Distilled at Glentauchers in February 2011 and bottled by Fruitful Spirits in May 2026 after 15 years of maturation, this single-cask release was finished in Oloroso sherry quarter cask #700014. The cask produced 178 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with light red fruits, strawberry, a little raspberry and some cherry behind that. There's also aromas of whipped cream, candied apples, currants and a little anise in the background. It's very sweet, very fruity, not overly sherried but those red fruits are definitely coming from the oloroso cask. There's very little alcohol coming through, and it's quite pleasant to nose.

Palate

The palate opens with zingy red berries, the raspberries are out in full force, along with a little squeeze of lemon juice. There's a bit of cinnamon and ginger spice beginning to appear on the latter palate, moving into a little bit of oak tannin on the finish, alongside a bit of dark chocolate. The mouthfeel is good, not overly oily but there's enough texture here to feel satisfying. It's a little warmer on the palate than the nose suggested, and there's a bit more blackcurrant and cocoa nibs appearing after some time and air. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose has a bit more of the original bourbon cask appearing, more creaminess, a little lemon, coconut water and caster sugar. The oloroso has very much softened, although there's a little bit of cinnamon in the background.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate follows the reduced nose, more of the creamy vanilla and citrus from the bourbon cask, but a drier finish with dark sultanas, a little Armagnac and menthol cherry. A different profile, but I think we prefered the sweeter, sherry led palate from before reduction. 

Conclusion

A solid sherry finished dram - it's not gone into sherry bomb territory, instead the oloroso has given a lot of dark fruits and a little spice, but it's integrated fairly well. Tasty whisky. 

Score: 7/10

Value

Feels reasonable for a 15yo sherry finished whisky.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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