Historic Distilleries: Caperdonich

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Caperdonich Distillery was first established as "Glen Grant #2" back in 1897/1898? And they closed their doors for the first time already in 1902. Most of the equipment were transferred to Glen Grant Distillery, and Glen Grant #2 was closed for 63 consecutive years until 1965. Then it was rebuilt as Caperdonich by Glenlivet Distillers Ltd. So one can say that in reality its a pretty modern distillery. The new modern technology installed in the distillery now meant that it could be operated by just two employees. The distillery changed hands a little over a decade later and then again in 20012 to Pernod Richard which closed it just a year later. Caperdonich was mostly used as an alternative to Glen Grant for the blenders, primarily Chivas Regal, so OB bottlings therefore never saw the light of day. Some IB's made it to the market, but few of them made a lasting impression on the punters. The Coppermiths Forsyth bought the site in 2012 and later bulldozed most of the buildings, but some of the equipment was spared. One of the copper stills was sold to the Belgian Owl Distillery and lives on there, so future Belgian Owl bottlings may share some similarities to whisky from that short time operational distillery in Speyside. As you might already have spotted in the pictures, I've chosen two sittings where the 1990's distillates will be up first, before the 60's, 70's and 80's will be tasted in the next sitting. Let's make them both vertical.



#1
Caperdonich 9yo 1998-2007 43% Jean Boyer Best Casks of Scotland

Best Casks of Scotland is quite a name to live up to. This one comes from small peaty barrels, which I would assume means they're matured in hogsheads that's previously been used on Islay or anywhere else where peated whisky is usually made. Remember the Glenfiddich Chaoran Reserve? That was made by such cask experimentation. It smells sweet, vanilla, peat smoke, rubber, spicy, garam masala, dairy cream, tzatziki, pickled cucumer, a gentle one. The taste is one rye, soapy, bitter, pesto, creole spices, malty. Certainly not one of the best casks of Scotland, but it leaves a pretty decent young and "naked" Caperdonich.

Not much peat, just a hint on the nose, but its pure and clean fun: 4.5


Caperdonich 16yo 1995-2011 60.4% Dewar Rattray's cask#95052

From a bourbon cask. At a very high strength, my first ever Caperdonich over 60%abv. And its not that young either. The color is amber golden. I don't know if there's any correlation here, but it seems to me that high strength bourbon whiskies often are darker than the low strength one even at CS. It smells of vanilla, spirity notes, burnt, dark chocolate, bitter, perfumy, chopped ginger and garlic, raw onions. The taste is sweet, peppery, rubbery, earthy, cloyingly sweet, mustard, chillies, eucalyptus. I believe this one needs some water as the spirity notes pretty much runs the show now. With water it turns more peppery, iodine, sweet white wine, sauternes, flour sugar, oily, metallic, plum juice, raisins, dates, figs, the initial palate is superb. The finish is long, peaty and peppery.

Wow, this Caperdonich was reborn when I added water to it: 8


Caperdonich 18yo 1994-2012 52.2% TWA Liquid Library

Some say one indicator of how good a distillery was is to see how many IB's are bottling it. But I don't trust that thesis completely. Many reasons for that, but lets keep the focus on this one from TWA for now.
The color is sort of wet hay, dirty golden? It smells sweet, wheat, sour dough, kiwi, wheat beer, strawberries, vanilla, green tea, seaweed, much lighter whisky than the 1995, but then again it holds close to one fifth lower strength. The taste is vanilla, dairy cream, snow peas, morning glory, bok choi, very light and sweet, pancakes, orange marmalade. This really doesn't need water in my opinion. When you have that sweet'n'creamy flavor that usually comes from very active bourbon casks, they often becomes more sour and spirity with water. If that's to your liking, please add water, but its just not for me. The finish is peppery, vanilla and banana.

Lacks a bit of the #95052's complexity, but these rich bourbon notes are superb: 8


Caperdonich 19yo 1992-2011 46% Van Wees The Ultimate Whisky Company cask#46240

Van Wees is one of those underrated whisky distilleries that really knows how to pick a good cask and sell it at an affordable price. Lets see how long it lasts. But a watered down single cask usually was an inferior cask, lets hope that isn't the case here. The color is light golden. It smells of honey butter, spicy, sage, cilantro, spring onions, herbal and grassy whisky which seems more like a CS than a watered down 46%, but its just a bit too vegetal for my liking. The taste is on malt syrup, coca cola, honey, red onions, stewed onions, coleslaw, again a bit too vegetal for me, but mostly a sweet acidity that just not go well in whiskies. The finish is short and peppery.

If you want to try a decent Caperdonich, your best chance seems to be a CS I'm afraid: 3


Caperdonich 20yo 1992-2012 56.5% Part Des Anges Closed Distilleries

I can't recall ever having a PDA bottling that wasn't from the "Closed Distilleries"-series, but I'm sure they bottle other stuff as well, if not it'd be an unlikely pricy brand for the owner? But I have to say, the other PDA's I've tried have been really good. The color is light golden. It smells of radish, peppery, burnt sugar, stamp glue, raw onions, once again really vegetal and once again a 1992 distillate. The taste is leather, vanilla, stewed onions, oily, pistachio, grainy, porter beer, malty bitterness, kinda nice one, but much more like a slow-paced lowlander than a vibrant speysider. The finish is on exotic fruits, coconut milk, plum paste, dark grapes, raspberry gel.

This one is a bit slow on the nose and palate, but the finish is class: 5.5



#2
Caperdonich 27yo 1980-2007 56.2% Dewar Rattray's cask#7349

Another bourbon cask, but this time distilled more than 10 years before the 1992 PDA. I'm pretty sure this is the only Caperdonich I've ever tasted that was distilled in the 1980's. Is it anything like the #95052 from same bottler I'm a happy man. The color is golden amber. It smells of cinnamon, bananas, lemon, vinegar, lemon grass, sour and bitter, very different from the prior Caperdonichs in this session. Peppery, horseradish, really strong! The taste is of cherries, grape seeds, bittersweet, charcoal, cedarwood, unripe clementines, very bitter and sour, time to add some water. Now it turns sweeter, more bitter, bitter lemon, wool, tequila, really a hangovers worst nightmare, this reeks of bad alcohol and unripe sour fruits when water is added.

Maybe its a good thing I've never found many Caperdonichs from the 80's: 2.5


Caperdonich 19yo 1977-1997 57.5% Cadenhead's

"Sherrywood Matured" reads the label, and I think its the first one in this session. The color is hazel brown. It smells of cinnamon, tobacco, dried fruits, ground coffee, nutty, red paprika, licorice, juniper berries, chili. The taste is dry licorice, honey, dried red paprika, musty, a certain musty licoricy sweetness which are often found in older sherried whiskies. This one is surely not from a hogshead. Water often opens these old glories up a bit and lets deeper flavors emerge. With a small drop of water this turns sweeter, cinnamon, nutty, honey, caramel, spicy, nutmeg, cumin, dried herbs, oregano, basil, leather. The finish is peppery, creamy and buttery, a whisky for lavish occasions.

Amazing Caperdonich, I didn't know they came like this: 9


Caperdonich 39yo 1972-2011 57.4% Malts of Scotland cask#1144

This one's from a sherry hogshead, and matured for 20 more years than the 1977, will it be over-oaked? Lets hope not. The color is mustard brown. It smells very peppery, bitter, lime peel, nutmeg, cumin, star anise, licorice. Not nearly as refined and smooth as the 1977, more oaky and bitter. The taste is bitter, herbal, peppery, from a fino cask? I doubt that as its very sweet as well, but most of all its an uber-oaky experience. The finish is oaky and bitter. Time to add some water. Now it becomes buttery, chives, orange zest, pretty anonymous and flat. One of the oldest Caperdonich out there, but not one of the best in my opinion, rather MOTR.

Oaky, bitter, herbal, and thats about it here: 5


Caperdonich 34yo 1972-2007 55.6% Duncan Taylor cask#7435 btl.140/198

Another one from a smaller cask. The color is amber orange. This one smells honeyed, banana, vanilla, potato starch, buttery, marzipan, roasted almonds, caramel, peaty, sweet tobacco smoke. This is once again up there with the 1977, but a totally different style. The taste is sweet, on molasses, black pepper, ginger, mango chutney, cinnamon, orange zest, bitter. Lets add some water. Now it turns even sweeter, flour sugar, honey, lime juice, ginger, green bell peppers, fruit syrup, red berries, lime leaves, all in all a very good Caperdonich. And I've heard many people raving about the quality of this one. I must say I enjoyed the 1977 just a bit more, but that could very well be because I'm a sucker for old rich sherried malts.

Complex, rich, sweet, well chosen cask: 7.5


Caperdonich 36yo 1968-2004 40% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphails

A really old one, and often, to find a really good CC-bottling, you need one in the 30's or more what age is concerned. The color is copper brown. It smells peppery, butter, chili, garlic, oranges, mint, herbal, cilantro, ginger, oregano, basil, heather, cinnamon, hops. A very mellow sherried one so far. The taste is licorice, sherry, ginger, cinnamon, bitter herbs, nestles, leather, waxy, dark chocolate, ground coffee, meaty, ground beef, smoky, simply great old style sherried whisky. I won't add water to this in fear of screwing it up, its just too good to take the risk. I mean, I often use water, but if the whisky is near perfect and I don't have a lot of it, well, then there's not enough to gain by adding water in my opinion.

Caperdonich like I've never tasted it before, how would this've been at CS?: 9


Caperdonich 40yo 1968-2008 50.1% Part des Anges Closed Distilleries cask#368

Probably the oldest Caperdonich I'm likely to ever try. I don't know much about this cask, but its not as dark as the prior one or the 1977. I think really old vintages are becoming scarce at Caperdonich, get some before their all gone. I'm assuming they won't hold on to the newer stock for 30-something more years. The color is golden amber. It smells sweet, honeyed, buttery, oranges, minty, mandarin, vinegar, banana, white grapes, avocado, sweet white wine, syrup, from an old bourbon cask I presume. The taste is peppery, caramel, butter, spicy, bitter herbs, unripe oranges, lemons, lime, wax, a zesty and fresh Caperdonich that even at 40yo is sure from oaky or tired in any way. The finish is longlasting, sweet and bitter, peppery, rubbery, grapefruit.

Another great Caperdonich, a sad story that they're finished for good now: 8

Caperdonich Distillery then

Caperdonich Distillery more recently
















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