Caperdonich 18 Years Old 1995 Cask #DL 9963 (Old Particular)

The Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing bottled this Caperdonich, an 18 year old, distilled in 1995, from cask DL 9963, bottled at 48.4%, one of 312 bottles. Caperdonich, a lost Speyside distillery in Rothes, fell silent in 2002. Its spirit went largely into blends such as Chivas Regal and Royal Salute.

It was worked through the distillery's four tall stills, building the fruity Caperdonich style. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the distillery character to the fore. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (pear and pineapple) and a waxiness. The cool Speyside air gave a slow, even maturation in the Rothes warehouses. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, which is why it suits both bourbon and sherry. It is named, like the burn, from the Gaelic for the secret well. A pipeline known as the whisky pipe once carried its spirit across the road to Glen Grant. With Caperdonich demolished, every bottle draws on a finite, dwindling stock.

At 48.4%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Apple, pear and a soft honey, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Soft pear and a waxy cream sit behind the cask. It finishes creamy, fruity and waxy. This is the soft, fruity ghost of Glen Grant's sister.