Caperdonich – 1979/2023 Private Collection #1105 (70cl, 53.1%)

This Caperdonich was distilled on 6 March 1979 and matured for 43 years in refill sherry butt 1105. Gordon & MacPhail bottled it on 10 January 2023 at a natural cask strength of 53.1%, without chill-filtration or added colour. The single cask gave 246 bottles, sold in an oak presentation case. It is the second release of the Recollection Series within the Private Collection, an annual selection of long-aged whiskies. Caperdonich stood in Rothes and stopped production in 2002. The nose moves from sweet stewed red berries to bitter orange peel and mixed nuts, with dark treacle toffee, Christmas spice and a touch of grapefruit. The palate is smooth and sweet, with raspberry, blackcurrant and butterscotch, then prunes, walnut and dried banana. The finish is long and spicy, with citrus fruit lingering.