Fettercairn 16 Years Old (46.4% UK)

A 16 year old Fettercairn, a distillery bottling, at 46.4%. Fettercairn is a fruity Highland malt made on mountain water under the Grampian foothills. It was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay, who turned a corn mill at Nethermill into a distillery.

The spirit was distilled slow and light for the tropical Fettercairn style, for a clean make of pineapple and citrus. A bourbon barrel held it, the wood adding a light vanilla to the fruit. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, the tropical fruit turning honeyed and a roasted coffee creeping in. Maturation on site in the Fettercairn dunnage warehouses is slow and steady. The cooling rings raise reflux and copper contact, so only the lightest vapours rise, for a tropical spirit. In 2018 the distillery relaunched with a new core range under maker Gregg Glass. Active wood frames the fruit without overwhelming the light Highland spirit.

Reduced to 46.4%, it is mellow. Tropical fruit, vanilla and a soft spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is fruity and tropical, the light spirit shining through. It finishes long, fruity and clean. This is the light, fruit driven malt of Fettercairn.