All about Caperdonich

Since production ceased for the last time in 2001, there are a bunch of single malts just reaching proper maturity. Independent bottlers have scopped up the casks that did not find their way into the black hole of Diageo blended Whiskies and have made several releases available. But as you might imagine, the collectors are snapping them up, driving up the prices of what is now a diminishing supply. The single malt has been described as classic Highlander with a fruit-foreward character and a nuttiness with butterscotch and hay.

All about Caperdonich distillery

Caperdonich Distillery was located just on the northwest side of the town of Rothes. It stood in a tight cluster of six Speyside distilleries -- Glen Grant, Glenrothes, Glen Spey, Inverhouse, and Speyburn -- all on route A941, at the midpoint of the Spey River in Morayshire.

Caperdonich was always a second fiddle to its big brother, the Glen Grant Distillery. In fact, when it opened in 1898, it was originally called "Glen Grant 2" by its owners, the J & J Grant company.

Due to the Great Whisky recession, they mothballed the facility just four years later, and it stayed that way until 1965, when Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd -- now the owners of Glen Grant -- fired up the stills once again. But by then there was a UK law that stipulated that two distilleries could not have the same name, so it was re-christened "Caperdonich."

They were sold to Seagram in 1977, and then again to Pernod Ricard in 2001, as a part of their crazy mergers and acquisitions rage. Apparently they did not want little step-brother Caperdonich, they closed it down the very next year, and completely demolished it in 2010.


Distillery info

  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Region: Speyside
  • Address: Caperdonich Distillery, Rothes, Moray AB38 7BS United Kingdom