Caperdonich 1969/2020 - 50 yo- #3253 - The Rarest (Duncan Taylor)

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 47.9% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Half a century of maturation in a single bourbon cask defines this Caperdonich from Duncan Taylor’s The Rarest range. Distilled on 10 October 1969, the whisky remained in cask No. 3253 until bottling on 30 April 2020. The cask yielded just 88 bottles at a natural cask strength of 47.9%.

Malty sweetness, creamy coffee and caramel notes, and gentle spices shape its character. Apple, pear and vanilla complete its aromatic range. The whisky was bottled without chill filtration or added colouring. The 0.7-litre bottle is presented in a white-and-gold premium box with a geometric opening that reveals the engraved bottle.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose offers creamy malt sweets alongside sweet fruit and vanilla notes.
• Palate: On the palate, the whisky recalls creamy milky coffee with caramel syrup and a little cinnamon. Nutty notes and hints of dried apricots, apples and pears complement these flavours.
• Finish: The long, smooth finish combines gentle, warm spice notes with sweet toffee and toasted oak.

Distillery/Bottler:

Caperdonich was founded in 1898 as Glen Grant no.2 to support the neighbouring Glen Grant distillery. Despite comparable equipment and the same water source, it developed a distinct spirit character. Its first period of production ended in 1902, and the distillery did not resume operations until 1965. It closed permanently in 2002, and the buildings were demolished in 2011. Some of its equipment later found use elsewhere: stills went to destinations including Falkirk Distillery in Scotland and Owl Distillery in Belgium.

Duncan Taylor is the independent bottler of this whisky. Founded in 1938 and based in Huntly, the company has built up an extensive collection of whisky casks over the decades, including stocks from distilleries that have since closed. Its maturation casks include former bourbon and sherry casks. Its remaining Caperdonich stocks also include casks from the 1960s, which provide the whisky for long-matured single-cask bottlings such as this one.

Facts: