Caperdonich 5 Years Old

This official Caperdonich, a 5 year old, at 40%. Caperdonich was built in 1898 as Glen Grant No.2, the sister distillery across the road from Glen Grant. Chivas released a Secret Speyside range of official Caperdonich in 2019, aged eighteen to thirty years.

This was distilled in tall stills with their spherical condensation zone, giving the soft pear and mint of the house style. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the distillery character to the fore. Young and extractive, the cask sheds vanillin (vanilla) and toasted sugars (light caramel) over soft fruit. A slow maturation suits the delicate, creamy make, the fruit turning tropical with time. Slow oxidation over decades draws the creamy spirit towards a waxy, fruity richness. With the distillery gone, the casks that remain are a finite record of its make. It was extended to four stills in 1967, run by only a couple of workers. Closed in 2002 and later demolished, its profile is fixed for good.

At 40% it is smooth and fruity. Mango, pear and a soft vanilla, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Mango, pear and a soft vanilla fill the middle. The finish runs waxy, fruity and soft. This is a creamy, tropical Speyside single malt of real age.