“The Old Fashioned Way”
Whisky Review # 1101
Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside - Closed Distillery
Brand: Caperdonich Peated - Small Batch Release - Secret Speyside Collection
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48%
Maturation: American Oak Barrels - Bottled: 2019-2022
Maturation: American Oak Barrels - Bottled: 2019-2022
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 160-225 (August 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 I understand it can't be cheap but stil...
Buying Advice: 😀 Certainly worth a try, especially when you like Ardbeg
Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 I understand it can't be cheap but stil...
Buying Advice: 😀 Certainly worth a try, especially when you like Ardbeg
History:
On August 30, 2022 I reviewed the peated Caperdonich 18 Years for the first time based on a small sample that I received from my friend Mauricio. Below you will find my thoughts at that time:
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Colour:
Golden Amber (Artificially coloured)
Nose:
Quite Light and Introvert on the Nose. It feels Younger than its age. The casks were not very active if you ask me. Still, the Peat & Smoke weave a pleasant web around Fruity, Floral and Mineral notes. The Nose is mostly Sweet with a few Tart and Salty notes for balance. The Alcohol is there but does not really interfere with the Nosing procedures. Be sure to give it some time in the glass before Nosing.
Golden Amber (Artificially coloured)
Nose:
Quite Light and Introvert on the Nose. It feels Younger than its age. The casks were not very active if you ask me. Still, the Peat & Smoke weave a pleasant web around Fruity, Floral and Mineral notes. The Nose is mostly Sweet with a few Tart and Salty notes for balance. The Alcohol is there but does not really interfere with the Nosing procedures. Be sure to give it some time in the glass before Nosing.
Main Aromas:
Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Cold Bonfire Smoke, Earthy Peat, Farm Yard, Straw, Smoked Ham and Shell Fish sprinkled with Lemon & Herbs, Ripe Banana, Seville-Orange, Grapefruit, Charred Oak, Nuts, Tropical Fruit Cocktail, Tomatoes, Mint and Ginger.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Tar, Ashes, Iodine, Band-Aids, Milk Chocolate, Wet Rocks, Blueberry Muffins, Pear, Leather, Cinnamon and Pepper.
A little on the Thin side despite the adequate ABV. I have to blame the casks here. It's still sufficiently pleasant though with a mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour & Salty notes. Caperdonich was never known for its peated Whiskies but based on this expression I would say that that is a pity. Could be delicious when matured in first class casks.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Campfire Smoke, Earthy Peat, Ashes, Tar, Smoked Ham & Scallops on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Milk Chocolate, Black Tea, Seville-Orange, Banana, Grapefruit, Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger and Aniseed.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Soot, Rubber, Iodine, Orchard Fruit like Pear, Mandarin, Blueberries, Resin, Toasted Almonds, Wet Rocks, Cinnamon, Mint and Licorice.
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Soot, Rubber, Iodine, Orchard Fruit like Pear, Mandarin, Blueberries, Resin, Toasted Almonds, Wet Rocks, Cinnamon, Mint and Licorice.
Finish:
Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour and Salty notes as well. A little on the Thin side. Quite Dry in the end. The Ashes remain in your mouth for quite a while but in a pleasant way. It reminds me a little of Ardbeg. I find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Cold Smoke, Earthy Peat, Ashes, Soot, Smoked Ham and Scallops on the BBQ glazed with Honey and sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Resin, Rubber, Black Tea, Seville-Orange, Nougat, Charred Oak, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Licorice, Aniseed and strong Espresso.
Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour and Salty notes as well. A little on the Thin side. Quite Dry in the end. The Ashes remain in your mouth for quite a while but in a pleasant way. It reminds me a little of Ardbeg. I find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Cold Smoke, Earthy Peat, Ashes, Soot, Smoked Ham and Scallops on the BBQ glazed with Honey and sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Resin, Rubber, Black Tea, Seville-Orange, Nougat, Charred Oak, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Licorice, Aniseed and strong Espresso.
Drinking Advice:
Given the size of the sample, I only tasted this Caperdonich neat.
Rating: 86.5 - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 8 (********)
Nose: 22 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5
Nose: 22 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion:
Caperdonich was located in Rothes, Speyside and was originally known as Glen Grant # 2. It was built in 1898 by J. & J. Grant the founders of Glen Grant. It closed in 1902 and only opened again in 1965 when it was bought by Glenlivet & renamed Caperdonich. It was sold to Seagram in 1977 and then to Pernot Ricard in 2001. One year later it closed again before finally being demolished in 2010. It was widely used in the Chivas Regal Blends.
Caperdonich was located in Rothes, Speyside and was originally known as Glen Grant # 2. It was built in 1898 by J. & J. Grant the founders of Glen Grant. It closed in 1902 and only opened again in 1965 when it was bought by Glenlivet & renamed Caperdonich. It was sold to Seagram in 1977 and then to Pernot Ricard in 2001. One year later it closed again before finally being demolished in 2010. It was widely used in the Chivas Regal Blends.
I only tasted two unpeated Caperdonich Malts before today and they were okay but not much more than that. I was pleasantly surprised therefore by today's peated version. The Peat and Smoke seem to combine well with the Caperdonich Spirit and remind me a bit of Ardbeg. It has its flaws though, mostly caused by the uninspired casks that leave this Single Malt a bit Thin and Youngish. But the potential is there and it's sad that we will probably never have the opportunity again to taste a fully matured peated Caperdonich that spent its life in quality casks. And that's a peaty pity!
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Final Conclusion:
On the nose I'm not gonna change anything. The Grapefruit note is much clearer than 4 years ago but in general the notes stand. It's such a pity that they did not use very good casks for this 18 Year old Caperdonich.
On the nose I'm not gonna change anything. The Grapefruit note is much clearer than 4 years ago but in general the notes stand. It's such a pity that they did not use very good casks for this 18 Year old Caperdonich.
I still like the palate despite it being a litle too Thin. The Peat and Smoke enhance the Caperdonich spirit in a pleasant way. I get a bit more Alcohol in the Finish but the creamy Ashes still remain with you for a long time.
Drinking Advice:
Given the size of the sample, I only tasted this Caperdonich neat 4 years ago. But this time I added some Water. I won't do that again though. Lots of Malt Water on the Nose and Licorice and Menthol in the Finish. Better sip it neat!
The peated Caperdonich 18 is not a perfect Whisky but perhaps that's exactly the reason I like it. It's really different from the average current Mainstream Malts. I only wished they had used better casks to mature the spirit but other than that I can recommend this Single Malt especially if you like Ardbeg. I therefore maintain the rating given back in 2022.
New Rating:
Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7.5 - Overall: 8
Cheers 🥃
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