ralfy review 951 - Caperdonich 18yo @48%vol:

[@tizianobabbi3218]

I bought a bottle from the German Indie, Alambic, a few years ago. 10y old at 47.8% special edition of only 200 bottles. That Caperdonich was the most susceptible Whisky to weather changes I have ever had. During nice weather it had almost no smoke and very little peat. As the days started to get wetter and fogy the smoke and the peat increased. In winter it was really smoky and.peaty. Such a degree of change I have never experienced again. I real dram to explore and enjoy.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . an advanced whisky 'form' experience.

[@whompbiscuits8930]

I would certainly be interested in an Extras about the various levels of chill filtration. And at some point after, a deep dive into artificial coloring.

[@robfut9954]

A dead distillery for Halloween… I get it! 🎃

[@bigal7373]

I am from Canada, and I get so frustrated seeing 1.14liter bottles of scotch where the best I can get is 75oml. Yes I can get the regular old Grants, Johnnie Walker etc in the bigger bottles but never things like this. Nor can we get any real selection at our Government controlled liquor stores in Ontario. I must live vicariously thorough you...Glad you do a good job! :)

[@phillewis3108]

You convinced me. I ordered a bottle for myself. Not because I’m the expert now, but so I can add it to my tiny but growing stash, then enjoy it in the future, when hopefully I am a bit of an “expert”.

[@Boris-wg6lr]

Thank you for your authenticity in this splendid review of this interesting distillery.

[@wilseph1]

Always learn something new with Ralfy!

[@sandrofazzolari8833]

Thanks 🙏 dear Ralfy for sharing this historic bottle and now defunct distillery. Fascinating review and look forward to the extras on filtration. Kindest regards, S.

[@davidb2701]

In October 2022 I’ve tasted a Caperdonich 1979-2000 SMWS 38.8. It was a great experience. Oh yeah, a time machine: Roxy Music with Dance Away in Top of the Pops and I was 14 years.

[@We_Got_A_Call]

Long live Ralfy!!

[@whiskyguidedog6558]

"you mad mustachio maltworms". "

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . now on the M-mention List, thanks !

[@TripleBerg]

Looking forward to the OSWA awards

[@jonlaws4493]

I bought a bottle of this exact one via Duty Free. It’s in the back of my cupboard for a future date. Will lookout for one of the other vintages to complement it.

[@WhiskyNotesCS]

i have that bottle at my shelf. Tried it in a bar and it was very good for me. Special, old flavour Caperdonich with peat. Give it time and all will be good. :)

[@uilleachan]

** Nostalgia Alert! In the 80's & early 90's a few of the local bars in this area had a promotional Glen Grant gantry (remember those?) behind the bar, comprising 6 or 8 whiskies all aged between 10 to 50 years. Because I'd get behind the bar at lock ins or when they were super busy, to relieve the staff in a certain bar and because I didn't really drink back then, other than the odd malt, the proprietor would pour me the odd whisky from said gantry, by way of appreciation for the help. I got to try all of them in time including the 50 year old several times, not brilliant but the standout daddy of the bunch. I still remember that sense of awe at drinking something that had been made in the early 1930's. But more importantly those occasional tastings opened the door to the subtle side of whisky for me. Up to that point it was the big in your face peat monsters that I was into. Over the next decade or so I more or less moved wholesale to lighter styles as I matured into adulthood.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . all part of the Journey 😊

[@daveandrews5485]

I’ve been fortunate enough to have sampled this whisky. A friend bought a bottle in travel retail. A really nice whisky. If you can find it of course.

[@Doddo13]

Inspite of tiny little mistakes sometimes, you will remain the Malti Millionaire Magnificent Master.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . your mention is now on the M-mention List, thanks !

[@scranmerchant]

Enjoying this bottling. Picked up at Glasgow Airport for about £91 in March this year. Super stuff.

[@TheJulebrusHorror]

Thanks for another good review Ralfy, love from Norway

[@snapperxv]

I have one in the retirement drinking stash, I was havering but my better half pulled the trigger. I've been waiting for this review, I fully agree on what Glen Grant can be. Thanks Ralfy.

[@lechbojarski5869]

Lucky me!!! I just bought it in Poland in a super promo price - around 75 pounds! :)

[@chrishoyt7548]

Great one Ralphy. I like the background info on distilleries and practices of the Scotch Whiskey industry. Thank you. Chris the Cape Bretoner

[@MrLachlanmackenzie]

Another interesting review, thanks.

[@RebMordechaiReviews]

Thanks Ralfy. I seemed to have missed this review the first time round. My son took a work trip to Europe and brought me back a Caperdonich 18 last night (I keep trying to add an "r" making it Caper-Dronich" for some reason). It was 138 Euros (£120) in Frankfurt Duty Free. I browsed through the online Frankfurt Airport store and thought a peated whisky from a demolished distillery and bottled at 48% abv, looked rather interesting. I also noticed that it's now £140 in the UK. Anyway, yesterday, I started looking for reliable online reviews of this, just to get a sense of what to expect and smacked my head when I saw your review. How could I have missed this?! Actually, I'm surprised you didn't talk more about the fact that this was a medium- heavy peated whisky made in the heart of light, floral and fruity Speyside back in the 1960s right up to 2002. Without any background knowledge, it sounds as if it would have been about as popular as a Pork restaurant in downtown Jerusalem. However, in your defence, you did mention that this was never intended to be bottled as a Single Malt but produced to go exclusively into Blends and you did actually hint at the reason at 13:30 when you said that this tastes like an Islay, but alas, you never developed that theme. Now, we can see a connection with other distilleries such as Brora in the North Highlands which was also brought out of retirement and recruited (press-ganged) into producing peated whisky in 1969. Peated whisky is a traditional blending trick to instantly boost flavour and character to Blends and was in high demand but in very short supply in the 1970s due to a drought on Islay in the 1960s, which saw its whisky output reduced by 50%. I suppose one could say that Caperdonich (I almost put the "r" in again") is the Brora of Speyside, except that Brora was never demolished and is indeed, now resurrected and has been recruited once again to produce a peated version of Clynelish, a whisky which was really only supposed to have existed temporarily for a few years until Islay got back on its feet. I hope that everyone takes notice of your indispensable advice at 12:30 where you stress that this 18 Year Old must be treated with the utmost respect and left in the glass for some time before drinking. Someone who pours a dram into his tumbler, adds some water and immediately knocks it back will be missing most of the story.

[@peterc3822]

This is only available from duty free in Australia from what i've seen. I've been tempted a few times but managed to get 2 bottles of the 21 unpeated for cheap. Hoping that one is fantastic also! Cheers!

[@ingebrunsvik9298]

I really liked this one. Especially after pouring a dram in the morning, putting on a lid, and then smelling and tasting in the late afternoon.

[@farshadp6114]

Greeting Mr Ralfy , immediately searched this in Australian importer website and came up in stock for AU$350, my wish-list is getting longer and longer. I bought a French single malt and also bought every available bottle of Raasay in 40km radious ,it was on sale for AU$58. I have found it a very nice affordable dram, no age statement but non chilled and natural color bottled at 46%. Please review some single grain if you feel like it. Take care and peace out.

[@Bo_Lew]

Another great review, Ralfy! Next time you turn your sights to North America, I'd love to hear your take on Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye. Been hearing lots of good things about it here in the States.

[@lesbischoff8976]

Caperdonich 1972 Duncan Taylor Tantalus edition... a ridiculously wonderful whisky.

[@familiewillems3645]

imho, it`s such a pitty that caperdonich was closed. signatory has a big stock and "belgian owl" is using the stills of caperdonich and i like that belgian malt also.

[@11oakdene]

@ralfy, you are the king of the accessible & affordable whisky reviews. Would you ever consider, maybe as an Xtra, the occasional premium whisky review? Personally, I would love to here your review on some more premium, even unaccessible whiskies.

[@gcbrain2933]

OMC had some nice ones. Old Glen Grants can be very nice. I remember a 1970 Duncan Taylor.

[@digitalclock]

This dram is delicious and really holds a bit of sentiment. Great smoky peat. Shame they closed the distillery right before the scotch boom.

[@digitaldemocracyai-rob]

I need to up my raisin game......'Ard' is high ;) Leave the Gaelic to the Irish. LOL.

[@pfalzgraf7527]

I do very rarely masticate anything McDonalds 😉 I've only ever had one dram of Caperdonich, two or three decades ago! Sadly, I don't really remember the taste. 😒 And at the time my palate wasn't trained enough to appreciate anything. It is a pity that this distillery is not revivable! Because that one DID have a name! However, there are so many whiskies, including new stuff, that are really good, that I am not too morose looking back at those past distilleries. Nevertheless, a tinge of "farewell-sadness" will forever linger.

[@IcEMystPrivate]

Good one.

[@NicolasMD85]

Is there any chance that this is going to be Brora level of collectable, once the volume of stocks is diminished? Because this whole story reminds me of a Brora and Clynelish, two sister distileries.

[@dominiccummings1893]

In terms of giftable whiskies, have you looked at the Fettercairn 18? When I saw the price I almost died thinking "here we go again with another Talisker" until I noticed that it's finished in Scottish oak casks, which I think are a bit of a genuine rarity.

[@MacMichael267]

'Taste: sharp and slightly aggressive'? I beg your pardon, but that has not been my experience at all, on the contrary, I found it to be a wonderfully civilized old-school whisky that does not even require any addition of water. Just time.

[@SaltyCuban]

What happened to the Clivey clicker?! Did I miss something??

[@ironmantran]

Dear Santa R., with Christmas and year end just around the corner , kindly do(any) 4 Cognac/Armagnac for us to escape this trouble Earth . . . into 2023 ! ! Many thx.

[@HerbertDuckshort]

“Industrial Entertainment Food” a.k.a. shite.

[@nohandle257]

OK, I now realize I need help. A tutor actually. I'm definitely smelling interesting things in these little malts I bought to get started .... but I don't know what they ARE!!!

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . patience, practice, perseverance !

[@falcondmp]

German websites state : no caramel

[@neilanderson2374]

135 Euros in Schipol airport "duty free"

[@nohandle257]

ralfy, Really miss the beard. Yer significant other make you shave it? Can't wait for the O S W A s!!!

[@edgewalker7459]

Hey ralphy ,what’s the highest malt mark you have scored a whisky. .?

[@thewhiskybothy]

95.

[@willemkilian9563]

Hello Marketing Malefactor Malcontents!

[@thewhiskybothy]

, , , now on the M-mention List, thanks !

[@БьярмГипербореев]

And in Moscow now such whiskey costs 445 dollars😅

[@Ricardo8388]

well here in NL this bottle costs 200 so Ill pass.

[@swedishburrito5073]

❤️👍🥃

[@jbennison5672]

Not watched this review yet, but it's rated 88 on whish base, that is a very good score. May have to buy a few of these!

[@ian436]

SMWS Glen Grant is always a good dram