Name: Cragabus
Type: Blended Malt Whiskey
Origin: Scotland
ABV: 43%
Price: Around $75.00 per 375ml (half bottle) from Vom Fass (what I paid in the store)
This next review came from an afternoon of hanging out with a friend and former music student. Seth, one evening after indulging in some chicken wings, told me of an interesting liquor store in the St. Louis area. Vom Fass is an eclectic store that offers a variety of spirits, cooking oils and gourmet foods. Seth offered to pick me up one weekend afternoon to check it out and grab some lunch. On our arrival there, we ushered overselves to the spirits section which caught the attention of one of their employees. The gent, whose name I can not recall, was incredibly knowledgeable in their inventory. After explaining to him what I normally drink (Islay), he pushed me right to the Cragabus. A quick taste test was all I needed to pick up a half bottle.
Notes on the Cragabus, directly from the Vom Fass website are below:
This Scotch is the epitome of Islay, a blend exclusively crafted for VOM FASS by Stewart Laing. Young Laphroaig gives the typical peat punch of the island, whereas mature malts from Caol Ila, Bowmore, and Ardbeg distillery provide smoothness and body. The cherry on top is a little dash of the extremely rare Port Ellen distillery adding a great deal of complexity
I figured that soon or later, the time would come to give it a proper review. And with the contents of the bottle depleting downward, now would be as good as time as any to get this review done.
The Cragabus is one of the lightest whiskies I have seen in the last several years. The color I would call it is a very pale gold. I didn’t much of a nose on it, with the flavors noting only slight peat and something like faint wood. Upon taste test, the Cragabus starts with a light and easy body with touches of toffee. The middle of the palette is where the Cragabus begins to bloom with signature Islay characteristics such as peat and smoke (the “medicinal burn” common to Islay whiskies) as well as continued sweet notes. The finish on the Cragabus stays long after it goes down and it’s coupled with finishes of light woody notes. Overall, it’s a lighter and sweeter Islay blend that is easier to drink in my opinion than a standard single malt Islay whiskey. I think this would make a great beginner Islay whiskey to start with…if not for one small issue.
The issue with this whiskey is the price. It’s simply too high for regular consumption. Even for the cost of a half bottle, it’s far too expensive. I could list several great whiskies (and other spirits) that come in 750ml bottles for the same or (much) lower pricing. The cost is prohibitive enough for me to avoid this one in the future. I think if the company where to drop the cost of this at least 25%, I think this Islay blend could be a big hit. Should you ever find yourself in a Vom Fass, do yourself a favor and give the Cragabus a try. You can at least enjoy it in a small sample without breaking the bank.
Final Score: 8/10
A big thanks to my friend Seth for taking me to Vom Fass and thanks to all of you for reading. I look forward to the next time I can share my thoughts with you.
