Carsebridge 41 Years Old 1976 Closed Distilleries (Cadenhead’s)

A Carsebridge single grain of a 41 year old chosen by Scotland's oldest independent bottler Cadenhead's, distilled in 1976, bottled at 49.1%, one of 144 bottles. Carsebridge ran continuous Coffey stills at Alloa for well over a century before closing in 1983. It switched from malt to grain in 1852, installing two of the new Coffey continuous stills.

The spirit was drawn from Coffey stills on Gartmorn Dam water, for a light, sweet make of real purity. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak for decades, coconut, vanilla and a polished sweetness. At over four decades the light grain has turned deep and resinous, sotolon, coconut and old polished oak. Patient ageing gives the oily, waxy texture prized in old single grain. With the distillery long gone, every bottle draws on a finite, dwindling stock. Decades in cask build a waxy, polished depth over the light Carsebridge spirit. With Carsebridge gone, every bottle draws on a finite, dwindling stock.

At 49.1%, undiluted, it is deep and sweet. The American oak gives vanillin vanilla and lactone coconut, with a polished, toffee sweetness. Soft toffee and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. The close is long, dessert sweet over oak. This is the deep, sweet old grain of Carsebridge.