Skip to main content

Cragganmore 12 years Special Release

fresh null
€90Scotland, Speyside, Single Malt

Flavours

Whisky character

Fresh
Warm
Mild
Full
Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

In 1869, John Smith built his distillery beside the Strathspey railway, the first in the region to do so. He also gave it strange stills, flat-topped and short rather than the usual tall swan necks. That choice still shapes the spirit today, lending it a layered, complex character all its own. This bottling arrives at full cask strength, so it carries real weight. You meet butterscotch and toffee first, then a softer wave of cream and gentle herbal notes. It rewards slow sipping more than a quick dram. Pour it neat and let the flavours unfold in their own time.

Compare prices

No shops found to compare.

Good alternatives

Reviews

Be the first to add a review

About the distillery

Distillery

Cragganmore

Cragganmore distillery is located in the Speyside region of Scotland, and it was founded in 1869 by John Smith. The distillery sits in a small valley beside the Craggan More Hill, which is where its name comes from. Cragganmor whisky is often described as having a rich and complex flavour profile. This is due to the distillery's use of unusually shaped stills, which have a flat top and a flat base, and a long neck that increases the amount of copper contact during distillation. Cragganmore was the first distillery to be built in the Speyside region after the Excise Act of 1823 legalized whisky distillation. The distillery is also one of the few in Scotland to have retained its own floor maltings, which is where the barley is germinated before being used in the whisky-making process. Cragganmore produces a range of single malt whiskies, including a 12-year-old, a 20-year-old, and a Distillers Edition, which is finished in port casks. The 12-year-old is the most widely available expression, and it is often praised for its balance of sweetness and smokiness.

4.1Average rating

19Whiskies on Distilld

Flag of ScotlandScotland

Speyside

Most popular whiskies from Cragganmore

About the Cragganmore 12 years Special Release

Cragganmore 12 years Special Release is a single malt Scotch whisky from Speyside, in the heart of Scotland. It comes from Cragganmore, a distillery founded in 1869 by the experienced distiller John Smith. Smith chose the site for its water and its place beside the Strathspey railway. He also designed unusually flat-topped, short spirit stills. Most distilleries use tall swan-neck stills instead. That design choice gives Cragganmore its famously complex, layered character. This cask-strength bottling shows that depth at full power. The nose leads with butterscotch, toffee and soft caramel. A creamy sweetness sits underneath, rounded by vanilla. Then come quieter herbal and floral touches from the riverside hills. The palate stays rich and faintly oily, which helps the flavours linger. Baked, pastry-like notes weave through the sweetness. It feels generous yet poised, never heavy or sharp. The standard Cragganmore 12 is a classic introduction to the distillery. This Special Release turns up the volume on that gentle style. It keeps the complexity but adds weight and intensity. The butterscotch and toffee feel deeper and richer here. The creamy, oily texture coats the mouth and lingers. Cragganmore 12 years Special Release is best enjoyed neat. Take it slowly and let each layer reveal itself. Give it a few minutes in the glass to open up. The herbal and floral notes grow with a little time. The caramel and cream sweetness deepens as it sits. It suits drinkers who already love Speyside single malt and want something with extra muscle.