Caperdonich 15 Years Old 1998 One Shot (Jean Boyer)

A 15 year old Caperdonich, this distilled in 1998 from the bottler Jean Boyer, bottled at 46%. Caperdonich was a Speyside distillery in Rothes, closed in 2002 and since demolished. A few warehouses still stand, but the stillhouse and kiln are long gone.

This was distilled in tall stills with their spherical condensation zone, giving the soft pear and mint of the house style. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the spirit. At oxidative maturity ellagitannin tannins lend a polished frame to the oily, fruit rich malt. The cool Speyside air gave a slow, even maturation in the Rothes warehouses. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the fruit. It was rarely bottled as a single malt in its lifetime, so most come from independents. Years in oak round the spirit, the pear and cream deepening with age. With Caperdonich demolished, every bottle draws on a finite, dwindling stock.

At 46% it is gentle, creamy and fruity. Tropical fruit, wax and a creamy oat, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run pear, cream and a soft mint. Pear, cream and a soft oak see out the finish. This is a finite single malt from the lost Caperdonich distillery.