May I suggest a Camber…? 🙂 Mine’s superb – and I wanted just what you’re looking for, I think. I love the ride of the 456 and have had a number of them over the years, paired with a Superlight, Anthem X and a few other short travel full sussers, but the Camber ticks all the boxes. Sensibly slack angles (it seems noticeably longer than the Anthem X) a good weight, what feels like just the right amount of travel for most riding situations and really sweet handling.
I bought a 2011 Pro, but if you can land a 2012 one, I think you get a bolt through rear on it? I kept the XTR / SRAM carbon 2×10 drivetrain, but ported my SLX brakes, Thomson kit, short stem, wide bars and Hope Pro2 / 719 wheels over. It just works.
On the large, there’s just enough room under the shock to get a full size bottle, but you have to be a little careful with the ProPedal lever.
For the money, it’s a steal. CycleStore has the 2012 Expert for £1800. By the looks of it, there’s also potentially 4% back via TopCashBack too. If you don’t know about it, here’s my referral kickback linky…
Like I say – I’d not bother with anything more boutique, different or whatever. It just works and works really well. PS: I don’t have a 456 at the moment 🙁