Caperdonich 25 Years Old 1994 Cask #19304 (Alambic Classique)

A 25 year old Caperdonich, this distilled in 1994 from the bottler Alambic Classique, from cask 19304, bottled at 58.2%, one of 205 bottles. Caperdonich is a closed Speyside distillery, its stock now finite and dwindling. Its character was close to Glen Grant but its own, less green apple, more cream, pear and mint.

Made in tall copper stills for a light, fruity spirit, giving the soft pear and mint of the house style. A wine cask held it, layering fruit over the creamy malt. In these late years the spirit concentrates to a waxy, tropical depth held in an ellagitannin frame. The light, creamy spirit takes cask flavour readily while keeping its pear and mint. It is named, like the burn, from the Gaelic for the secret well. Seagram bought it in 1977, and Pernod Ricard closed it in 2002. A pipeline known as the whisky pipe once carried its spirit across the road to Glen Grant. The distillery is gone, demolished in 2011, so what sleeps in cask is all there is.

At its natural 58.2% it is concentrated. A waxy, pear scented fruitiness, with brown sugar and a tropical lift from the cask. The mouthfeel is waxy, the fruit carried on a creamy body. It finishes creamy, fruity and waxy. This is a rare Speyside single malt from a demolished distillery.