Caperdonich 23 Years Old Signatory 30th Anniversary Cask 95050 58.4% 1995

Professionele reviews

Serge Valentin (88)

Colour: gold.

Nose: much bigger and ‘fatter’ than the SMWS. This is all on golden syrup, hot cross buns, buttery crumpets, Golden Grahams breakfast cereal, a drizzle of olive oil and after a short while a few more mechanical aspects as well. Hints of oily rag and tool boxes. I also get wee touches of caraway, mint julep, ginger biscuits and various kinds of fruit teas. Some kind of spiced mead and a few other stewed garden fruits. With water: now the fruits come to the fore. In the form of fruit salad juices, fruit jellies, kiwi, plum jam and gooseberry. Perhaps a couple of pineapple cubes from the sweetie shop as well. Also some drier autolytic notes of bread dough and baking soda in the background.

Mouth: lean, sleek and rather syrupy with white pepper, star anise, jasmine tea, black olive, some very delicate ointment notes and spicy cocktail bitters. Unusual and very good I think. Develops towards freshly baked breads - wholemeal - and notes of dried dark fruits such as date and sultana. With water: lemons and limes. Sunflower oil, green tea, hibiscus, parsley and bay leaf. Again it’s treading this tightrope between drier, more tertiary elements and various fruity subtleties. Holds your attention well.

Finish: good length. Lots of lemon cough drops, orange cordial, cocktail sugar syrup, butter biscuits and a few dried herbs.

Comments: Unusual, interesting and very good latter era Caperdonich. Seems the distillate didn’t quite run out of steam after all! Yet another solid selection for Signatory’s 30th birthday bottlings.

Whisky Notes (86)

Nose: starts a bit sharp and piquant, on sweet mustard with balsamic touches. Time-out. After fifteen minutes: apple juice, lemons, peonies and a hint of tobacco. Also typical (nice) Haribo bears and some cinnamon. Mouth: oily texture, with fruity notes (oranges, sweet lemons, pears) and spicy notes (white pepper, cloves). Quite nervous. Sweet grapefruit and light grassy, zesty notes. Mildly drying. Finish: not too long, on apples, ginger and grassy / spicy notes.

This one needs a lot of time and even then the zesty sharpness never goes away and masks the fruitiness a little. A closed distillery but this is far from the mythical 1970s distillates.

BOW (89)