Today Caperdonich 30 years old


June 13, 2025

WF’s little Duos, today Caperdonich
30 years old

Caperdonich has truly become a ‘lost jewel’ after all this time. Goodness, the distillery was shut down in 2002 by Pernod Ricard, sold off, and then demolished not long after. Fortunately, the stills are still in use elsewhere (last we heard).

(Geograph)

Gone Grant 30 yo 1994/2024 (51.5%, Whiskyland, Decadent Drinks, Chapter 9, second-fill barrel, 215 bottles)

Some label! Also a characteristic touch of whimsy from the house, which refers to Caperdonich as ‘Gone Grant’, in reference to its former status as the twin of Glen Grant, also known as Glen Grant 2, and thus indeed the Glen Grant that is now departed, of the two. Well, you see what they’re getting at. Incidentally, we already adored their 31/1993 (Sponge).
Colour: pale gold.
Nose: do you know what? It takes me straight back to those early 1970s Caperdonichs bottled by Duncan Taylor, proper fruity bombs absolutely crammed to the rafters with papayas, guavas, mangos and bananas. All of which is steeped in honey and natural vanilla. With water: full of wee church candles, amen.
Mouth (neat): let’s be swift about it, this could easily pass for a 1960s or 1970s Balblair or Benriach. Bananas drizzled with honey, pollen, gentle mentholated glimmers, beeswax, a touch of praline, white clover… With water: same again, not much deviation, save for a touch more citrus and some far-off whispers of Grande Champagne. Or Petite.
Finish: gentle, fairly rounded, medium in length but growing ever fruitier than actual fruits. Cheeky jellybeans and babies in the aftertaste, which is rather unexpected at thirty years of age.
Comments: all the beauty of a good old refill! Still very partial to this style, must be our inner child speaking.
SGP:741 - 91 points.

Let’s see what a sherry cask has brought out in the same spirit…

Caperdonich 30 yo 1994/2025 (52.6%, The Whisky Cask, sherry cask)

They’ve already had some truly splendid Caperdonichs at The Whisky Cask, and here comes another one.
Colour: full gold.
Nose: this time, it’s Earl Grey tea and sandalwood and cedar that lead the charge, with the fruitiness naturally taking a bit of a back seat. Plenty of herbal infusions, linden blossom, chamomile, rosehip becoming increasingly prominent, a touch of almond syrup... I suppose it’s the interplay between the fruit and the sherry that’s given rise to all this. It’s rather splendid! With water: a very faint smokiness emerges, no idea where from, though we do know that there were indeed peated Caperdonichs at one point. Lovely whiffs of blond tobacco as well.
Mouth (neat): the fruitiness is far more assertive on the palate, with passion fruit and mango appearing to take the upper hand over the sherry on this occasion. Very good, with a dash of lemon blossom honey to (somewhat) rein it all in. With water: no smoke to be found on the palate, I must have imagined it. At any rate, all this is excellent, veering off towards yellow fruit preserves (plums, apricots, pears) brightened up with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Finish: same again. Lovely length.
Comments: in the end, we’re terribly close to the Whiskyland version, particularly with water. I see no reason why the scores should differ at all.
SGP:651 - 91 points.

In short, a draw today, but what a cracking fight!

Check the index of all Caperdonich we've tasted so far