Whisky : Caperdonich 23 Year 1995, Signatory Vintage 30th Anniversary Collection

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside (Demolished)

ABV : 58.4%

Cask : Refill Sherry

Age : 23 Years (Distilled 13 June 1995, Bottled 18 July 2018)

Nose : Fruity and floral with a hint of spice.  Dogwood buds, waxy tangerines, honeydew, and blood oranges.  Behind the sangria fruits were earthy notes of mossy river rocks , lavender, and an old field book full of pressed flowers.

Palate : Medium bodied with a bright waxy profile of fruit and spice.  Sweet tangerines, pepper, ginger, and tropical fruit notes of pineapple and pomelo.  The impression of a holiday flavored sangria arrived with oranges, cloves, and cinnamon.  The waxy, almost chalky, mouthfeel gave way to cocoa, orange, and cream with a few drops of water.  Hints of earth, wood, and minerals lingered in the background.

Finish : Lingering citrus rinds and a pithy dryness.

Score : 8

Mental Image : Hawaii Holiday Sangria

Notes : This was my last dram of 2020 and first of 2021.  This was so good that on New Years I just called it quits for 2020, I was done and would have no more... and then when reflecting and trying to decide what should be my first dram of the New Year, well this felt appropriately awesome.  

I did not expect to enjoy this half as much as I did— Caperdonich was a not a distillery with which I was familiar beyond the basic fact that it was a ghost distillery and that the bottles for it were quite expensive.  The spirit reminded me a lot of Arran or Craigellachie with its subtle earthy-mineral notes, or Clynelish and Glenburgie in terms of waxy fruits, though I have heard this is not typical for Caperdonich.  I absolutely loved the tropical fruit vibe on the nose and palate .  There was an excellent balance between woody-dry notes on the nose, fruit, and a bit of spice on the palate.  This was also so fragrant that even pouring just 1oz a time, I could smell tangerines and oranges across the room.

Overall, this was excellent and while I will not be rushing out to buy $500 bottles of Caperdonich any time soon, I would definitely recommend this to someone looking to splurge or pick up a special occasion bottle.  For the rest of us, there are plenty of great Arran, Craigellachie, and Glenburgie that do some similar things at a more affordable price.