Caledonian Whisky

A 300-foot chimney still rises over Edinburgh's Fountainbridge district, the last visible trace of a distillery that was once Scotland's largest. Caledonian, nicknamed 'Caley', supplied countless blends with grain whisky until it was demolished in the name of consolidation in 1988. Today the whisky survives only as rare drops from independent bottlers, while the chimney remains a Victorian monument to a vanished industry.

Caledonian 1987/2018 31 years old Signatory Vintage Single Grain Scotch Whisky 50,2%

Item no.: 22227865363-8818

Caledonian sat in the middle of Edinburgh and was in its day the largest grain distillery in Europe. Today there are flats on the site, and the only thing left stands in bottles.
Expert description
Caledonian 1987/2018 Signatory Vintage 31 Years is a Single Grain Scotch Whisky bottled at 50.2% without chill filtration and without added colour.
The whisky was distilled in 1987 and bottled in 2018 in a run of 249 bottles. Caledonian was founded in 1855 in Edinburgh's Dalry district and closed in 1988, which places this spirit among the final production years.
Grain whisky is rarely matured for three decades, because it is traditionally used young in blends. That is precisely why old grain bottlings have become a category of their own: the light, creamy character develops over time into vanilla, fudge and coconut with a velvet texture.
Tasting notes
Nose
Vanilla and cream caramel with coconut, ripe pear and a stroke of freshly cut oak.
Palate
Silky and creamy with toffee, honey and citrus oil. There is a fine grainy elegance that only long maturation delivers.
Finish
Long and warm with fudge, light spice and a pleasant dryness.
Specifications
Name: Caledonian 1987/2018 31 Years Signatory Vintage Single Grain Scotch Whisky 50.2%
Distillery: Caledonian
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Lowlands, Scotland
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Age: 31 years
ABV: 50,2%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 1987
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 249
EAN no.: 5021944097937
Flavour profile
Creamy · Vanilla · Sweet · Elegant · Mature
Investment potential
High. The distillery is closed and demolished, the vintage comes from its final operating years, and the run is 249 bottles. Whisky from closed grain distilleries is a steadily shrinking group.
Did you know?
Caledonian was known as the Caley by Edinburgh residents, and its old chimneys were a landmark in the west of the city for decades. Only a single distillery building remains standing today.
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1pcs.
274,75EUR

About Caledonian

Caledonian Distillery, known as 'Caley', was for decades one of Edinburgh's and Scotland's largest grain whisky distilleries until it closed in 1988 and was later demolished. Whisky from the distillery today survives only through independent bottlings of older stock, making every bottle a rare piece of industrial history rather than an everyday shelf item. For collectors, Caledonian represents a niche of closed, 'silent stills' distilleries whose dwindling remaining casks only grow scarcer and pricier with each passing year.

Whisky from the distillery today exists only through independent bottlings of older stocks.

History & Background

The Caledonian distillery, known locally as "Caley," was built in 1855 in Edinburgh and grew to become Scotland's largest grain whisky distillery for decades. The distillery closed in 1988, but its distinctive chimney was preserved as a local landmark and today forms part of the Fountainbridge district's modern redevelopment, while old casks from the distillery still surface among independent bottlers.

Production & Style

The distillery worked with column distillation of grain in the classic Lowland style.

Signature Style

Light, Clean, Sweet
The whisky offers a light, clean character with a sweet finish.

Facts

Distillery	Caledonian (closed 1988)
Founded	1855
Pronounced	Cal-e-DOH-ni-an
Region	Edinburgh
Country	Scotland
Owner	Historically: Distillers Company Limited (now Diageo)

Did You Know?

Caledonian's chimney is such an ingrained part of Edinburgh's skyline that it was listed and preserved even when the rest of the enormous distillery was demolished and replaced by flats in the 1990s.

Like Caledonian Whisky? You should also try:

Signatory Vintage, Douglas Laing and GlenAllachie.

Caledonian Whisky

Expert description

Tasting notes

Nose

Palate

Finish

Specifications

Flavour profile

Investment potential