Caledonian 1974 – The Cally

Caledonian, known to its workers as the Cally, was a grain distillery in the Haymarket district of Edinburgh, built in 1855 by Graham Menzies and for several decades the largest distillery in Scotland. It closed in 1988 and was later demolished, though its 300 foot chimney still stands as a city landmark. Diageo no longer owns the Caledonian trademark, so this 1974 vintage was released under the Cally nickname as part of the 2015 Special Releases, a 40 year old from a finite, dwindling stock.

Caledonian made light, sweet grain whisky in a continuous Coffey still, the spirit drawn off at high strength for blending. This release spent forty years in refill American oak hogsheads, the long, slow maturation drawing coconut and vanilla deep into the grain. It was bottled at its natural strength of 53.3 percent, without chill filtration or added colour.

At forty years the grain is rich and oily, coconut, toffee popcorn and grilled pineapple on the nose, the palate toasty and oaky with bitter caramel, dates and a warm cinnamon spice, creamy vanilla on the long finish. A rare official bottling from a vanished Edinburgh distillery, its character fixed for good by the closure of 1988.