FETTERCAIRN 28 YO Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70 cl

Product Information

The unicorn is said to stand for purity and strength and has been a symbol of Scotland since the reign of King Robert III. It is also used within the Ramsay clan crest, of which the founder Alexander Ramsay brought with him to the distillery. Mouth: quite citrusy, with an aromatic woody element, ginger cake and rum soaked raisins. Nutmeg. A hint of sourness (grapefruits) and fruit teas. Just a subtle tannic note as well as some leathery notes and eucalyptus.

Not one that I would recommend, especially given the price, but if you fancy a challenge, head over to The Whisky Exchange. I prefer the 12 Year Old to be honest. Perhaps more questionable is the suggestion that at the height of the success of Shand’s distillery with his experimental stills, Nethermill distillery installed Shand’s design of still in 1832: We move over to the 40 Year Old, distilled 23rd of December 1977. It spent the final few years in a Gonzalez Byass Apostoles Palo Cortado cask #6 (which is technically not a Palo Cortado but a Medium sherry as it is sweetened with a little Pedro Ximénez). Nose: a dusty, coppery start. Then some shy fruity notes: slightly overdue pineapple in syrup at first, later also nicer apricots and melon. A little ginger, liquorice and caraway seeds. Vegetal notes. Maybe a wee little cardboard too. Not very classic. This is the value offering of the range; lashings of juicy fruit balanced by oak spices and the gentle enhancement of sherry casks. Score: 6/10Nose: An aromatic combination of dusty furniture, suede leather and rosewood alongside apricot, peach, clementine and vintage orange liqueur. Running throughout, a funkiness that I’d commonly associate with the OB Fettercairn’s I’ve tasted to date – an odd mixture of chopped herbs and potpourri with creamy coconut. Intriguing, but a little strange and disjointed. The addition of water adds aromas of biscuit crumb, stem ginger and refined brown sugars as well as highlighting the near three decades in cask with increased wood panelling and a touch of polish. John Gladstone’s son William Gladstone, went on to become Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer and was instrumental in passing various reforms on the taxation of whisky.

Do you ever consider how you may be remembered? For some of us it may be for voluntary service, professional achievement, or perhaps just warmly within the confines of our own family. Those who have reached great heights through business success or public office are often aware of the eventual eulogising that may follow them. These examples demonstrate why it can be difficult to settle on a particular view of an individual or historical character without remaining open to future evidence that will paint a less favourable picture. Here I present William Gladstone, British Prime Minister during the critical period of the abolition of slavery and the legitimisation and licencing of the Scotch whisky industry. On the nose: Very fruity, light texture, orange leaves, Starburst sweets, some red fruits, bergamot, sherry sweetness is modern and balanced. Fettercairn distillery is a whisky distillery in Fettercairn. Situated under the Grampian foothills in the Howe of Mearns, Fettercairn town’s name is loosely based on the phrase "the foot of the mountain".

Recent Tastings

Set in the wilds of the untamed Eastern Highlands at the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains, Fettercairn begins life in an isolated location that’s allowed this Scotch whisky to hone its own distinctive taste and characteristics uninterrupted over time. Smell: Honey and vanilla. Toffee. Apple juice. Ginger snaps. Pineapple and white grapes. Chocolate covered raisins. Taste: Nutty, dark chocolate, very oaky, layers of oak spices and muted orchard fruits, cinnamon bark, blood orange, toasted oak, French polish, dry and tannic finish. Conclusions: Fettercairn Distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Ramsay, owner of the Fasque estate, who converted a corn mill at Nethermill into a distillery. After losing his fortune, Alexander was forced to sell the estate to the Gladstone family in 1829.