In reply to DizzyVizion:
Sputan an Dearg faces predominantly south. This can be both good or bad for early season.
If lots of snow and consistently below freezing in shade, the little bit of sun melt can aid consolidation or even brew ice, and cold southly winds may scour loose snow (and rime-up the cliffs) leading to good conditions. N. Corries can be swimming in these conditions. Too much sun and/or too high temps it will strip and/or go soft, or be threatened by ice fall from the cliffs above. In these conditions Etchchan or Northern corries would be better. you will have to judge in advance, and it can be a fine line.
In terms of walk-in if snowy consider wind direction and deposition. Walking up the Luibeg could be a powder, or crust on top of heather flog. It may be better to go up Carn Crom ridge and downward contour into the Corrie below Little Derry Cairngorm, taking advantage of this ridge often being blown free of snow. The downside is on first acquaintance finding the optimal line and depending on the fill of the snow, parts traverse is bouldery.
Leave Bobs at least two hours before sunrise if going for a gully, if going for something mixed go two hours earlier. It’s a relatively long way, there won’t be any northern corries trench and conditions under foot can significantly vary the time, and day light is short and precious in mid December.
Post edited at 14:26