A short session with two Caperdonich whiskies. One is a Sansibar release, from an excellent mini-series exclusive to Whisky-Maniac (see the Ben Nevis 1996 for instance). The sparring partner is a 1997 vintage for The Alcohol Bar in Taiwan.
Caperdonich 30 yo 1992 (51,4%, Sansibar for Whisky-Maniac.de 2022, bourbon hogshead #121114, 221 btl.)
Nose: certainly not unattractive, but so different from these 1970 expressions. This is greener and rougher, with unripe pear and honeydew melon, green peppers and plenty of grassy notes. Thn candy notes with cornflakes, wood shavings and hints of chalk. Pineapple comes out after a while.
Mouth: a chalky and waxy mouthfeel that reminds us of Clynelish now. Underneath there is still a gristy note, with green citrus zest, unripe greengages and white pepper. Wood leaves a slightly aromatic, fragrant touch. Herbal tea and hints of hay. Always a grassy bitterness in the background.
Finish: rather long, with drops of cinchona, leafy notes and grass.
The grassy austerity gives it something old-school. The nose is really nice. However, while references to Clynelish are always nice, I’m often missing a more luscious fruitiness in casks from this era. Still available from Whisky-Maniac.
Caperdonich 24 yo 1997 (53,2%, The Alcohol Bar 2021, barrel #5876, 50 cl, 261 btl.)
Mouth: very similar again. Waxy notes, citrus peelings, with a moderate bitterness and hints of plum eau-de-vie. Light peppery notes and grapefruit before it gets more candied. Herbal tea and a subtle earthy note. A light biscuity quality too.
Finish: medium length, on grasses, sunflower oil and leafy notes.
Again a slightly austere 1990s cask: this has some difficulty to win me over. It reminds me of some of the greener pot still whiskeys from Ireland and in the end I can’t help feeling a little disappointed. Score: 85/100