Caperdonich 14 years 1968 - Connoisseurs Choice 0.75 liter

This Caperdonich was distilled in 1968 and was bottled in the Connoisseurs Choice series by Gordon & MacPhail around 1982 after a 14-year maturation in oak casks. This series has been around since the late 1970s and has changed labels regularly. Colloquially, this version is called 'brown label'. For a bottle bottled over 40 years ago, the condition is particularly good.

Tasting note

Nose

Honey, lemon, freshly baked biscuits. The nose is spoilt by delicious scents. Peat is also detected in the nose. 

Taste

As you sip a little more, the whisky becomes a little sweeter. Nice malt notes with the sweet biscuits here too. Small bitterness presumably from the sherry cask combined with that hint of peat.

Finish

The finish is excellent. Makes the palate warm nicely.

Caperdonich Distillery

Caperdonich Distillery was located in the heart of the Speyside region, in the small town of Rothes. Founded in 1898 by James Grant under the name Glen Grant No. 2, the distillery closed in 1902 and only reopened in 1965 under the name Caperdonich, meaning 'secret spring' in Gaelic. The distillery has a rich, if intermittent, history in whisky production.

A unique feature of Caperdonich was the use of water from nearby springs, which contributed to the purity and character of their whiskies. Caperdonich whiskies were known for their smooth and complex flavour profiles, with notes of honey, fruit, vanilla and a slight spiciness. The distillery used traditional copper pot stills and the whisky matured mainly in ex-bourbon casks, which ensured a balanced and refined flavour.

Although the distillery closed permanently in 2002 and was later demolished, the remaining bottles remain highly sought after by aficionados, collectors and investors due to their rarity and exceptional quality. Caperdonich remains a respected part of Scotch whisky history, remembered for the unique and high-quality single malts it produced.