Caledonian 35 Year Old 1979 SMWS Single Cask G3.8 Eccentric And Exotic Lowland Single Grain Whisky (2014) 70cl

Caledonian 35 Year Old 1979 SMWS Single Cask G3.8 Eccentric and exotic 70cl

1 of 198 bottles produced.
A rare 2014 release of Caledonian single cask. Now a ghost distillery.

The panel found eucalyptus, earth, perfumed tobacco and hessian. Aromas of ripe nectarine and peach soaked in orange liqueur mingled with coriander. The flavours found were of figs rolls, dates and honey on a toasted crumpet with more damp sackcloth and a curious hint of celery. Water yielded more curiosities of hot dogs with tomato sauce, Benedictine liqueur and sauerkraut. The aromas of linen sheets fresh from the tumble drier had the panel raising collective eyebrows. The mouthfeel was rich with coffee and Fishermans Friends with a lick of balsa wood to disarm you completely. Very unusual and spectacularly different.

Master of Malt sold one at 48 Years for £349 at 48.6% ABV
Signatory Vintage sold out of the 1987 35 Year old for £275
Duncan Taylor has 34 Year old at £439 at 52% ABV from 1987

This is better value at £249 for a 1979 35 Year old at a higher ABV. One of the stronger barrels & single caskings for less money.

About Caledonian 

Caledonian was built in 1855, producing grain whisky from a Coffey still as well as two large pot stills. For decades, Caledonian was the largest distillery in Scotland. In 1867, to keep up with the high demand from blenders, Caledonian began to install pot stills in order to distill ‘Irish style’ grain whisky - but, y’know, in Scotland. These pot stills remained until around 1900.

Caledonian was transferred to Scottish Grain Distillers in 1966, and became part of United Distillers following the Guinness/DCL merger 20 years later. Sadly it fell victim to United Distillers’ mass consolidation of the business in 1988, and was finally closed. However, that wasn’t the last we’d see of Caledonian, as its 300ft chimney stack still stands as a historical monument and is one of the tallest Victorian towers remaining in Scotland.

About SMWS 

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was founded in 1983 by a group of friends lead by tax accountant Phillip ‘Pip’ Hills as a private members club. The concept behind the society was to source casks from all over Scotland which would then be bottled and made available exclusively to its members. Perhaps the most famous feature of these bottles are the unique codes. Each distillery is represented by a different number and the following digits indicate that particular release. That same year, the SMWS set up its first location in Leith’s Vault buildings in Edinburgh where it still stands today.

53.9% ABV

70cl