The Duncan Taylor Kinclaith and Caperdonich releases are each 50+ YO
Picture, courtesy Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky, one in every of Scotland’s legendary impartial bottlers, has launched two distinctive, ultra-aged whiskies as a part of their “Rarest of the Uncommon” portfolio.
The Kinclaith 51-year-old and Caperdonich 50-year-old each date again to 1969. They kind a part of a group of uncommon whisky casks from closed distilleries, which Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has matured of their warehouse for half a century.
Each whiskies come from what the Scotch whisky trade phrases “misplaced distilleries” – these are distilleries which were closed and subsequently demolished. Kinclaith’s existence resulted in 1975 and the manufacturing of Caperdonich from Rothes completed in 2002. As soon as the present inventory of whisky is depleted, it’ll by no means be out there once more.
Kinclaith’s origins date again to 1957. Situated on the south aspect of the river Clyde, this small malt distillery was positioned throughout the grounds of the huge Strathclyde grain distillery complicated. Strathclyde continues to be working and in the present day is a part of Pernod-Ricard. The Kinclaith distillery was closed and demolished in 1975 to make means for an enlargement of the Strathclyde distillery.
The Caperdonich distillery dates again to 1898. It was initially generally known as Glen Grant #2. It was among the many final distilleries constructed on the tail-end of the phylloxera-induced whisky increase on the finish of the nineteenth century. It was subsequently mothballed, after solely 4 years of operation, for about six a long time earlier than being reactivated in 1965 by the Glenlivet Distillers Ltd to fulfill the demand for Glen Grant.
The distillery was subsequently expanded and modernized in 1967, incorporating the newest improvements in distillation know-how. The brand new pot stills, for instance, had been steam heated. On the time, most distilleries had been nonetheless utilizing coal-fired stills. It was additionally presently, 1966, that the title of the distillery was modified to Caperdonich. The title was chosen for the distillery’s water supply – the Caperdonich Burn.
Based on the corporate:
A restricted launch of lower than 100 handcrafted glass decanters is out there of every whisky worldwide. The bottles will likely be individually numbered and engraved in addition to housed in an attractive lockable framed field, inside a brushed chrome steel carry case.
Commenting on the launch, Chairman Euan Shand, famous:
I really feel it’s a privilege to be the custodian of those gorgeous uncommon casks. Initially stuffed again in 1969 it’s the beginning of an thrilling chapter at Duncan Taylor as we plan to launch a collection of uncommon malts from our portfolio over time.
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky was established in Glasgow in 1938 as Duncan Taylor & Co – a cask dealer and buying and selling firm, though its roots date again to 1864.
The corporate was acquired by the late Abe Rosenberg in 1961. Rosenberg, a New York beverage entrepreneur had made a fortune because the US importer of the J & B Scotch. He turned Duncan Taylor into his private whisky assortment. Over the following twenty years, he amassed greater than 4,400 barrels of Scotch whisky, principally from the Nineteen Sixties and Seventies, from a few of Scotland’s main distilleries.
Rosenberg died in 1994. The corporate remained in limbo for eight years earlier than it was lastly bought by Scotsman Euan Shand in 2002. Below Shand, the corporate has grown dramatically. It’s expanded its choices to incorporate gin and rum along with its priceless assortment of single malts, single grains and aged blended whiskies. It now exports to greater than 60 international locations world wide and has grow to be a perennial gold medalist at worldwide spirit competitions.
Based on Shand, there are nonetheless round 800 or so casks from the unique inventory collected by Rosenberg, together with many casks over 50 years previous. The whisky was matured in a mixture of ex-bourbon casks and hogsheads normal from Sherry butts.
Under are tasting notes on the 2 expressions primarily based on a small pattern that was generously provided by the corporate.
Duncan Taylor, Caperdonich 1969, 50 YO, 47.9% ABV, Cask #3253, 700 ml
On the nostril, the whisky may be very floral. There are tropical fruit notes of mango, melon and a touch of pineapple, together with spice notes of cinnamon and clove. There may be additionally a slight natural be aware that includes mint and a contact of anise/licorice.
On the palate, the whisky is easy, sweet candy, with caramel, espresso and tropical fruit notes. The identical anise and mint notes on the nostril reappear on the palate. There are additionally some well-integrated, toasted wooden notes and a persistent “malty” be aware.
The end is lengthy, sweet candy, with lingering tropical fruit notes and a contact of pepperiness.
Duncan Taylor, Kinclaith 1969, 51 YO, 49.3% ABV, Cask #301454, 700 ml
The Kinclaith is barely natural on the nostril, that includes aromas of anise, stone fruits and milk chocolate. There are additionally some well-seasoned notes of candy oak wooden.
On the palate, it’s barely candy, with noticeable natural notes, together with milk chocolate, anise, stone fruits and a contact of tropical fruits – principally cantaloupe/melon. There are spice notes of cinnamon and clove. The whisky is easy and satiny on the palate, with a particular palate weight and a mouth-coating character.
The end is lengthy and candy, with lingering tropical fruit notes.
The addition of a little bit of water enhances the sweetness and the tropical fruit notes, particularly the cantaloupe/melon flavors.
Each whiskies are at the moment out there instantly from Duncan Taylor. US orders are shipped from the corporate’s US importer, Shand Imports in Pasadena, California.
The Kinclaith carries a beneficial US retail checklist worth of $16,000, whereas the Caperdonich expression will retail for $15,000. Costs could also be barely cheaper if ordered instantly from UK mail-order retailers like The Whisky Exchange.
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