Caperdonich 23 Years Old 1995 Cask #95050 (Signatory)

A Caperdonich of a 23 year old chosen by the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, distilled in 1995, from cask 95050, bottled at 58.4%, one of 265 bottles. Caperdonich stood opposite Glen Grant in Rothes, built to share in its sister's success. Its four stills were dispersed, a pair going as far as Belgium and others to Falkirk.

The spirit was distilled in tall stills with their spherical condensation zone, building the fruity Caperdonich style. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness to the creamy spirit. At this evaporative stage ellagitannins lend a drying structure while oxidation builds waxy tropical fruit. A slow maturation suits the delicate, creamy make, the fruit turning tropical with time. It was rarely bottled as a single malt in its lifetime, so most come from independents. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the fruity, waxy core over the decades. No more will ever be made, the distillery silent since 2002.

At a full 58.4% it is bold yet fruity. A creamy, fruity sweetness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It is creamy and fruity, the soft spirit shining through. The finish is deep, waxy and tropical. This is Caperdonich, the lost twin of Glen Grant.