Caperdonich Distillery: History, Secret Speyside Whisky and Rothes Guide
Caperdonich was built to make more of its neighbour's whisky, but its surviving casks now tell a story of their own. The Rothes distillery began as Glen Grant No.2, returned to production after a long silence and closed again in 2002. The buildings have since gone.
This is a guide to a lost distillery and its remaining whisky, not a promise of tours at a working site. Peated and unpeated releases both matter here: the Caperdonich name does not describe one uniform flavour.
Caperdonich Distillery at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Place | Rothes, Moray, in Speyside, Scotland |
Founded | 1898, originally Glen Grant No.2 |
Production periods | 1898 to 1902; 1965 to 2002 |
Final closure | 2002 |
Demolition | Secret Speyside and Pernod Ricard give 2011; some histories give 2010 |
Last distilling owner | Pernod Ricard / Chivas Brothers |
Whisky identity | Speyside single malt, with both peated and unpeated stocks |
Stills | Four pot stills after the 1967 expansion; historical equipment |
Public tours | No operating Caperdonich distillery or visitor centre |
In this guide
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History of Caperdonich Distillery
Established opposite Glen Grant during the late Victorian whisky boom, Glen Grant No.2 first worked for only a few years. It closed in 1902 as demand weakened. Its buildings remained useful to the wider business, but the stills did not resume production until 1965.
The second working life brought enlargement. Two additional stills were installed in 1967, and Caperdonich eventually became a familiar name to blenders and independent bottlers. ScotchWhisky.com's history places the final closure in 2002, after the site entered Pernod Ricard's ownership.
The demolition date needs qualification. Some accounts use 2010; the brand owner's history and Whisky.com's account give 2011, with the latter separating the 2010 site sale from demolition. Neither date changes the practical point: the old distillery cannot be toured today.
Ownership and the people behind the whisky
Chivas Brothers holds and releases Caperdonich stocks through Secret Speyside within Pernod Ricard. That does not make today's bottle a product of newly restarted stills. Independent bottlers may own other casks, so a Caperdonich bottle can legitimately carry a different bottler's name.
The label therefore needs to identify two separate things: where the whisky was distilled and who selected or bottled it. A recent bottling date is not evidence of recent distillation.
Production and maturation
The expanded plant used two wash stills and two spirit stills. Whisky.com's equipment account describes steam-heated stills and a stainless mash tun with a copper top. These are historical specifications, not current visitor equipment or active production capacity.
The remaining stocks include smoky and non-smoky spirit. For a bottle comparison, peat style and cask history are more useful than assuming that every Caperdonich resembles Glen Grant. Maturation and bottling strength must be checked against the exact edition.
The continuing life of a closed distillery happens in warehouses: casks can be matured and bottled after the stills stop. No new Caperdonich spirit can be added to those historic stocks.
Whisky range and documented bottles
The following are documented expressions, not a claim that every bottle is currently in stock. Official tasting descriptions are paraphrased and are not Whisky Clan reviews.
Caperdonich Peated 27 Year Old
Bottle detail | Caperdonich Peated 27 Year Old |
|---|---|
Age or vintage | 27 years |
ABV | Cask strength; numerical ABV not stated on the checked producer page |
Casks | American oak barrels |
Type and release | Official Secret Speyside peated single malt; 700 ml |
Nose: smoke with peach and chocolate-orange sweetness.
Palate: creamy sweetness, citrus and charred wood.
Finish: sustained sweet smoke with gentle spice.
Caperdonich Unpeated 21 Year Old
Bottle detail | Caperdonich Unpeated 21 Year Old |
|---|---|
Age or vintage | 21 years |
ABV | 48% for the documented 700 ml retail bottling; check the edition |
Casks | American oak maturation; distinguish this from the peated 21 Year Old |
Type and release | An earlier official Secret Speyside expression, already in the Whisky Clan CMS |
The producer's 2020 announcement confirms separate peated and unpeated ranges. A retailer documents this unpeated 21 Year Old at 48%; no retailer tasting copy is presented as producer notes.
Rare releases, awards and historical context
At the UK introduction of Secret Speyside in 2020, the owner listed peated 18, 21 and 25 Year Olds and unpeated 21, 25 and 30 Year Olds. That is a dated release list rather than a permanent six-bottle stock guarantee.
An independent single cask should be catalogued separately by bottler, vintage, bottling date, strength and cask number. Age alone is not enough to establish that two listings are the same whisky. No auction record or competition medal is asserted in this guide without a release-specific source.
Visitor information
Caperdonich has no distillery tour to book. The former site was absorbed into the surrounding industrial area, associated with Forsyths' engineering works. Respect private premises and do not follow an old map pin expecting a visitor entrance.
For a Rothes whisky visit, use the nearby guides below to choose working producers and check their own current booking arrangements. The cover photograph is an archive exterior, not a present-day view.
Other distilleries around Rothes and Speyside
These existing Whisky Clan guides provide local context. A directory entry does not itself guarantee public access.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Caperdonich still making whisky?
No. Its last distillation was in 2002. Later releases come from surviving casks.
Was Caperdonich the same as Glen Grant?
It began as Glen Grant No.2 across the road, but its later production and whisky are identified separately.
Is every Caperdonich peated?
No. The documented Secret Speyside ranges include both peated and unpeated expressions.
Can I visit Caperdonich?
There is no operating Caperdonich visitor centre. The distillery buildings were demolished; do not enter industrial premises without permission.
Sources and photograph credits
Research and product pages checked on 26 October 2026. Prices and availability are not guaranteed. Tasting descriptions are attributed producer summaries, not independent Whisky Clan reviews.
Historic Caperdonich exterior, sourced from Whisky.com. Photographer not identified on the source page.
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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