Caperdonich 1992 SMWS 38.24 26 Year Old

A little background

Not everyday you can taste a piece of history. This Distillery, Caperdonich – was shut down in 2001 and literally demolished 2010 – So really, there are no backsies from that. Caperdonich is now known as a ‘closed or extinct’ distillery. After closing they had limited and left over barrels in their distinctly old fashioned style. These are now very much sought after, like anything that can no longer be produced or reproduced – there is a finite supply and that is where the rarity comes from. 

This is a 26 year old expression – by SMWS (Scotch Malt Whisky Society). SMWS is one of my favorite IB’s (Independent bottlers) out there. SMWS doesn’t just bottle what they deem they MAY like themselves, but make sure to also bottle for interest factor and a differentiation to the norm. So you could have a bottle of a single barrel bottling by them and not at all know what distillery it is. 

Caperdonich 1992 SMWS 38.24 26 Year Old is bottled at 51.2% ABV.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Pale Gold

Nose

The bourbon barrel influence is strong despite being a refill barrel. The start of the nose has a ‘Glen Elgin’ type of waxy perfume – Like the comforting smell smell of baby wipes. Vanilla, pine resin, green leaves, fresh cut grass, kiwifruit and a strange smell on the back of the nose of incense. Like going to a buddhist temple – that sort of incense. Stones and gravel, steely and a fruit that is quite hard to pin – perhaps like a dried cherry. 

With Water:
Fruit subsides, with water the nose tames down a lot. It becomes clinical and very alcoholic forward. But with a few more sniffs, the pine needles come back and incense becomes stronger. Talc powder and leaf litter, chalk and slight earthiness starts to pop through. Like a walk in the forest kicking leaves. Rust as well. 

Palate

Some heat! Waxy, like sucking and eating crayons – Don’t pretend you have never done it. The smell of an unlit candle. The ABV is not all that high but it has some ginger and pepper heat on the nose. Hints of savouriness, minerality and not super oily. Vanilla, dark chocolate and toffee. 

With Water:
The heat goes away. Definitely add water. More intensity of flavors. The flavor is quite similar but the ABV masked a lot of it and with water, it lets you taste everything more and intensely. Strangely, the perfume of the medicinal incense is quite strong. Herbal notes comes through – licorice, tarragon starts to reveal itself. Some raisins, spice and chocolate still there. You get a hint of green bell pepper.

Finish

Long but not intense. Leaves a leafy and pine resin aftertaste.

In conclusion

This is a robust dram. It is interesting and can be challenging without the addition of water – I would say, try both first. 

You can still find Caperdonich 1992 SMWS 38.24, but they are expensive. Expect to pay round $450 USD, maybe even more at an action or retail store. 

This isn’t something you would bottle kill in a night – unless you are maybe Justin Bieber. You can have money but you can’t buy class, or at least that’s what they say. But what this is is something to appreciate while thinking about the fact each bottle diminishes the last supplies of barrels and eventually, it will never exist again. If you get the chance, give Caperdonich 1992 SMWS 38.24 26 Year Old a try, you’ll thank me later!