Fettercairn in great numbers


September 11, 2024

Fettercairn in great numbers

About twenty-five years ago, Old Fettercairn aka Fettercairn was scarcely available, and its reputation was maybe a wee tad mediocre. No amount of rebranding seemed capable of turning things around.

However, as they say, a rising tide lifts all boats, and the owners took full advantage of this to bring the brand back into the spotlight, notably thanks to the spirit’s bold character and the drive of Master Blender (and of the Universe), Richard Patterson, aka The Nose. So much so that today we’ve decided to try and set a world record—the most different Fettercairn whiskies reviewed in a single post (though not necessarily in one tasting session, we’re not mad). Are you ready?

Fettercairn 16 yo (46.4%, OB, 2023)

The 2022 edition had been rather excellent, so expectations are high. Colour: gold. Nose: that unmistakable walnut cake and sweet mustard character comes through beautifully, joined by bitter oranges and an unexpected coastal touch – oysters, of all things! Hints of tar and rubber are present, but far less than in older releases, and in any case, that’s part of Fettercairn’s charm. Mouth: rich, honeyed, thick, and delightfully spicy, with a pleasing firmness. Chestnut cream, more nuts, a touch of earth, a light salinity, and perhaps once again, a cheeky oyster. It’s really very good, though one might suspect some of this richness comes from rather exuberant casks. Finish: long, turning peppery, yet still salty and honeyed, with notes of honey-lemon biscuits. There’s a return of that earthy element in the aftertaste. Comments: for me, this has become one of the finest middle-aged official bottlings around, and there aren’t that many at this level, if you ask me. Softer compared to the 2022 batch, with a touch more bitterness. A great start.
SGP:562 - 88 points.

Fettercairn 2014/2022 ‘Warehouse 2 Batch 004’ (48.8%, OB, bourbon and Hungarian oak)

These warehouse stories don’t always convince, but never mind. This one contains 6% Hungarian oak (wow!), which is essentially cheaper European oak, but as it’s petraea, it’s not half bad. Colour: white wine. Nose: barley sugar and the sweetness of bourbon, with vanilla cream, then a lovely floral touch of geranium and jasmine. Caraway and green walnut remind us we’re still in Fettercairn territory. Mouth: no, this is very good indeed, and I promise you could easily mistake it for Ben Nevis. It’s fantastic that they’ve allowed the distillate (very bold, let’s admit) to shine through, despite the use of active wood. I think it’s brilliantly done – they just need packaging that feels a bit more 2024, though. Right, not my business. Finish: long, with notes of walnuts, sweet mustard, ripe apples, clove, and a hint of juniper. Comments: it’s better than Batch 1 from the same warehouse, those warehouses are something else! Though it still sits slightly in the shadow of the magnificent 16-year-old.
SGP:562 - 86 points.

Fettercairn 2014/2023 ‘Warehouse 14 Batch 001’ (51.2%, OB, bourbon and Scottish beer)

And here we go, Warehouse No. 14. But how many warehouses do they have at Fettercairn? This bottle is said to include three types of Scottish beer – pale ale, dark ale, and stout. Incredible. Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s sweeter, younger in spirit, with notes of apple and quince jelly, barley, banana, even a bit of papaya… Could it be the yeasts from those Scottish beers doing their magic? With water: it tightens up a bit, but that’s not a bad sign. A well-mannered dram, we might say. Hints of grist and limestone linger. Mouth (neat): really very good, with more lemony notes. Pink grapefruit and a touch of sage. With water: it’s really very good – I’m repeating myself, but it is! Cloved orange zest and roasted pistachios. You get the idea… Finish: fairly long, very clean for a Fettercairn, though not without a bit of texture. A return of honeyed mustard and walnuts in the aftertaste. Comments: there’s nothing more satisfying than watching a distillery evolve like this. Let me remind you, twenty years ago, my friends wouldn’t touch it, by and large.
SGP:552 - 87 points.

This time, it might not be as easy for the IBs...

Fettercairn 10 yo 2011/2021 (47.5%, Carn Mor, bourbon barrel, 1244 bottles)

This one should be entirely natural. Colour: white wine. Nose: pears and porridge, with touches of cardboard, fresh wood, and plaster. And, most notably, a whole stein of Weissbier. A hint of bitter almond and the usual mustard lurking in the background. Mouth: ultra-typical, indeed. Once again, walnuts, mustard, bitter almonds, a touch of earth… Then it shifts towards cider apples and lemon zest. A lovely ‘nervous’ austerity here. Finish: long, turning peppery. Lemon peel, pepper, then a bit more sweetness coming through. Comments: very, very close to the distillate, and in that sense, rather wild. Nice bitterness.
SGP:461 - 84 points.

Fettercairn 2009/2022 (50.6%, Liquid Art, 140 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: very much in the same style as its predecessor, though this one carries a bit more cask influence, lending it a touch more roundness, but it remains austere, distinctive, with a mustardy edge and packed with green walnuts, sourdough, and a whiff of old newspaper. There’s also a hint of bitter apples in the background. With water: it becomes chalkier, earthier, in other words, even more Fettercairn. Mouth (neat): this time we’re edging closer to the excellent official bottlings, with a lovely body and a salty-bitter-fruity mix, some honey, and amusing notes of white asparagus, all followed by the signature Fettercairn pepper. With water: very good indeed, with apples, mustard, green tea, bitter almonds, and walnut wine. Finish: long, more mineral, though there’s a hint of olive oil. Comments: top-notch, though it makes you wonder, which warehouse did this one come from? Just kidding.
SGP:562 - 86 points.

Fettercairn 15 yo 2007/2023 (53.5%, Cadenhead, Rum Cask Matured, 240 bottles)

It’s true that Cadenhead bottles some lovely rums, so they’ve probably got a few empty casks on hand to fill with malt. Colour: white wine. Nose: this is quite unexpected, we start with even more porridge and fresh morning bread dough, alongside green walnuts and the ever-present mustard, before a surprising Jamaican-like twist of tar, overripe bananas, and a touch of seawater sneaks in. With water: the original distillate takes charge again, so back to the walnuts and co. Mouth (neat): perhaps less precise than others, but possibly more complex. The walnuts are now smoked, coated in tar, and drenched in a sort of salty, honeyed molasses. With water: it’s a lively tango, reminding me of a Martinican rum aged in an Islay cask, the reverse situation, which also worked quite well (surprisingly). Finish: long, more lemony and maritime. A bit of pepper and tar in the aftertaste. Comments: there’s almost a double-Fettercairn character to this at times. Nicely done.
SGP:562 - 85 points.

Fettercairn 14 yo 2007/2022 (54.4%, Oxhead Whisky Company, Singapore, amontillado hogshead, cask #201506)

Colour: gold. Nose: this one leans more towards oils—rapeseed, sunflower, sesame—though the familiar notes of cardboard, chalk, and fresh ink (new book) are also back. There’s even a touch of vegetables, cabbage, leek... which I think can be quite ‘Fettercairn’ as well. With water: the distillate’s walnuts and the amontillado’s walnuts are thick as thieves. Lots of cement and chalk too. Mouth (neat): pure Fettercairn, almost to the point of seeming peaty. Plenty of paprika, pepper, lemon, and once again, cardboard, mustard, black radish, mead, with a slight soapy edge. With water: apple juice emerges, with some gin-like notes that verge on soapiness (not huge gin fans here). Finish: long, compact, and a bit eccentric. Quite the character. The mustard and walnuts continue to sing loudly. Comments: another wild one.
SGP:562 - 84 points.

Fettercairn 10 yo 2011/2022 (54.6%, Best Dram, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #800355, 220 bottles)

We quite like these labels—you could hardly be less flamboyant. In these AI-dominated times, it’s a bit of a relief. Colour: white wine. Nose: almost nothing at first—just a trickle of limestone water, the faintest hint of apple juice, and a touch of grapeseed oil… and that’s it. You really couldn’t be less exuberant, especially for a Fettercairn. We’re into that. With water: more body now, with devil’s sauce, honey, and walnut cake making an appearance. Mouth (neat): ultra-precise. Barley, paraffin, bitter almonds, walnut oil, horseradish, and a splash of seawater. With water: perfect. Now we’re in Ben Nevis territory. Finish: same. A lovely acidic touch, with lemon juice and Muscadet. Comments: a young Ben Nevis in high-precision mode. Oops, sorry, a Fettercairn.
SGP:562 - 87 points.

Fettercairn 12 yo 2008/2021 (52.9%, Whisky-Fässle, barrel)

It’s true, we don’t always need loads of details and superlative adjectives on our malt labels. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: well, this is very, very close to the previous one. A precious modesty, with a bit of apple, rubber, chalk, and sunflower oil. With water: wax paper and a hint of Barbour grease… Mouth (neat): absolutely delightful! Various kinds of apples, a touch of lemon, a drop of mead, tar liqueur, green pepper, and the classic duo of green walnuts and mustard. The texture is fairly oily, as always. With water: sweeter this time, little agave candies, mild pepper, and a bit of mandarin. Finish: indeed, a bit oilier and sweeter, though nowhere near what you’d call a sweet finish. Well, you get the idea. Comments: this is just so good.
SGP:552 - 86 points.

Fettercairn 16 yo 2006 (54.7%, Malt, Grain & Cane, Barbados rum cask, Cranes)

A 6-month finish in a Foursquare barrel. If it was one of their ‘single blends’, that shouldn’t have caused too much trouble for such a Fettercairn. Colour: pale gold. Nose: yes, it’s in line with the rest—slightly overripe apples, walnuts, ink, tar, old paper, mustard… In short, all is well, madame la marquise (as the old French song goes). With water: white chocolate! Could you get more delightfully nostalgic? Mouth (neat): 87 points. Wait, we’re going too fast. Walnuts, radish, mustard, green tea, sorrel, oil, lime… It’s just perfect. With water: doesn’t need much water. A touch of bitter oranges. Finish: medium length, a bit rounder now. Almond milk and oranges, with the ever-present mustardy note. Comments: we could debate for hours about whether or not to add water. And the value of such commentary (indeed, S.).
SGP:552 - 87 points.

Fettercairn 10 yo 2012/2023 (58.16%, Or Sileis, hogshead, cask #DL15976, 131 bottles)

The structure of this cask number for Taiwan points to a Douglas Laing origin (well done, Sherlock). In any case, our dear friends over there seem even more cat-crazy than us, which hardly seems possible. Lucky cat? Colour: white wine. Nose: back to pure Fettercairn, packed with walnuts, plaster, mustard, and little sour apples. Amusing hints of bottarga. With water: wet chalk, clay, slate, and fresh radishes. Mouth (neat): simple yet magical. Green apple, walnuts, radish, earth, turmeric, and a drop of seawater. The precision of a true Swiss watch. With water: I absolutely adore this one. To be clear, I loved all the others as well. Finish: whoops, wait, it turns slightly sweet. Candy sugar and marmalade. Remember, the devil’s always in the finish. Comments: jokes aside, another excellent young Fettercairn.
SGP:652 - 86 points.

Fettercairn 12 yo 2009/2021 (57%, Whisky Peter, hogshead + first fill bourbon barrel, cask #800300)

I love these 'amateur' labels that look like they were made on an Atari or a Commodore. At least, that’s how they seem, and it’s absolutely charming. Colour: white wine. Nose: similar, of course. Cider apples, green walnuts, mustard, chalk, paraffin—you know the tune. With water: ah, that young Burgundy Chardonnay vibe, all about the limestone… Unstoppable. Mouth (neat): so good! Green apples, chalk, walnuts, beeswax, liquorice, horseradish… With water: now this is fun, beyond grapefruit I’m also getting pickled samphires. Or am I dreaming? Finish: fairly long and simply perfect. Lemon paraffin and chalk in all their glory. Comments: it seems all these young Fettercairns hover between 85 and 87 points in my little book. Such consistency is rare, and of course, a sign of very high quality. With all due modesty.
SGP:652 - 87 points.

I think we're going to stop with the younger Fettercairns, anyway they're all pretty fantastic. Let's see if we can find one or two older ones to wrap up this session, which in the end wasn't as extreme or unconventional as we initially thought.

Fettercairn 22 yo (47%, OB, +/-2024)

We tried the 22-year-old four years ago and rather enjoyed it, but here we have a recent batch, so purely for science, we’ll give it another go. Colour: gold. Nose: very mustardy and bitter on the nose, once again marked by green walnuts and coal dust, followed by peppermint and orange peel. To be honest, we quite like this. After a minute or two, aubergine and green propolis join the mix. Mouth: this isn't an easy whisky; there’s that pronounced bitterness again, with plenty of green pepper, bitter oranges, paprika, and that very earthy character so typical of Fettercairn. Naturally peppered mushrooms, a bit like some boletes. We love it. Finish: it remains somewhat extreme in profile, with loads of green and black pepper. Comments: as they say, it doesn’t take many prisoners, but it’s rather spectacular, perhaps even more so than the earlier batches. If they ever made it cask strength, I reckon you’d need a firearms licence to own a bottle. I still love it.
SGP:472 - 88 points.

Fettercairn 27 yo 1995/2022 (61.3%, Whisky Sponge, refill hogshead, 174 bottles)

The strength of Angus’s Whisky Sponge (and of the following ranges), beyond the obvious quality of the spirits, was lying in the utterly singular and inimitable nature of what we might call its 'brand environment' – a strong personality and a fearless, unconstrained expression, which is a rare find in such a conservative Scotland (yes, indeed). But enough of that personal drivel, let’s taste this one. Mind you, an old Fettercairn isn’t necessarily better than a young one, just saying. Colour: bright straw. Nose: well, the youthful tension here is replaced by the sheer power of the alcohol percentage. Strangely enough, the result is incredibly similar – chalk, apple peels, lemon zest, yellow melon, shoe polish, sourdough, fresh cement… With water: fresh focaccia and apple juice. Admirable, but still feels ‘young’. Mouth (neat): almost oily, yet packed with lemon essence and a riesling concentrate, if such a thing existed. Watch out for the alcohol! With water: it becomes gentler, but more complex, with pastry notes, roasted pistachios, nougat, lemon tarte, drops of verbena liqueur and, above all, genepy, putty, and orange marzipan. You’d almost think this drop came not from Scotland but from, say, Salzburg. Finish: lovely length, very elegant. Comments: this Fettercairn demands your full attention, but it’s well worth it. Superb, given the vintage.
SGP:652 - 89 points.

One last one, and so much for the Fettercairn world record – we’ve bitten off more than we can chew, once again.

Fettercairn 31 yo 1990/2022 (42%, Skene, American oak hogshead, cask #648086)

Skene may be a rather discreet house, but they’ve been releasing some remarkable bottlings, with a pleasantly old-school vibe, which is increasingly a virtue in these days of sometimes somewhat ‘fake’ and, above all, conformist modernity. Colour: straw. Nose: where have these old Fettercairns been hiding? Bursting with glorious whiffs of farmhouse cider, natural Riesling, Chardonnay from Jura and Savoie, and even a touch of Petite Arvine from Valais while we're at it. It’s not often we find ourselves this close to wine, but remember the rule of Leerdam cheese – the less there is, the more there is (*). Mouth: magnificent white wine. I’m barely joking. Actually, I’m not joking at all. Lovely fresh oak, with the tiniest hint of coconut and the finest vanilla, followed by limestone and a myriad of delicate flowers and herbs – borage, for instance. Finish: not overly long, but simply perfect. Tangerines and chocolate mint right at the end. Comments: where on earth did this come from? Even the ABV is spot on. If you find a bottle, you know what to do.
SGP:561 - 91 points.

Just to realise how far we've come, in 2003 I tasted the brand-new Fettercairn 12 yo '1824' (40%, OB). I didn't write a tasting note, but I gave it a modest score of 70/100. It's true that the fact 1824 was also the year of Macallan, and that this was starting to be marketed, really made me question whether it was appropriate to use it for Fettercairn. But that was 21 years ago, and nowadays, we surely wouldn't make such a fuss about it.

(*) The more cheese there is, the more holes there are, and the more holes there are, the less cheese there is. This could be rephrased as: 'the less wine is added to a malt, the more that malt can showcase the qualities of a fine wine, and the more wine there is (finishes, etc.), the less that's the case. Anyway, let's move on.

Check the index of all Fettercairn we've tasted so far