Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Caperdonich.
Bottler: Signatory Vintage.
Region: Scotland/Speyside Single Malt.
ABV: 55%.
Age: 21 Years. Distilled on 6 July 2000. Bottled on 11 April 2022.
Cask type: Hogshead.
Nose: Apples and orchard fruits with musty old newspapers and old schoolroom chalk boards, more hay and dried grass further in.
Palate: Medium-bodied with apple blossom, pastries— old fashioned donuts, apples, honey, old newspaper in the background, more herbal toward the end with coriander and peppery dandelion.
Finish: Medium-bodied with buttery pastries, grass, and a touch of pepper.
Mental Image: Orchard School Field Trip.
Conclusion: This was fairly typical for Caperdonich nearing the end of operation, with plenty of orchard fruits running rampant alongside some buttery pastries. Perhaps a bit more ‘anonymous Speyside’ than the more distinctive whiskies the distillery produced in earlier decades, but there were some interesting chalk and blackboard notes and then a rather old-fashioned herbal twist at the end. It reminded me a bit of a less austere Glencadam, which is no bad thing. Overall, not a complex whisky, but not an unpleasant one either.
Final Score: 78.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 