Fettercairn 10 Years Old 2008 Cask #4626 (Best Dram)

A 10 year old Fettercairn from the bottler Best Dram, distilled in 2008, from cask 4626, bottled at 53.2%, one of 221 bottles. Fettercairn is a fruity Highland malt made on mountain water under the Grampian foothills. Its stills carry unique cooling rings, copper tubes that drench them in cold mountain water.

It was drawn off the stills, the cooling rings raising reflux for a fruity spirit, the cooling rings lifting a clean, tropical character. Finished in a Pedro Ximenez cask, the wood building over the fruity, light spirit. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into a rounded vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper pineapple and pear. The water cooled stills give a light spirit that ages with grace. Its water comes from springs in the Grampian and Cairngorm mountains above the distillery. It uses unpeated malt and matures mostly in American oak ex-Bourbon casks.

At cask strength 53.2% it is full bodied. Mango, citrus and a soft honey, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. A dried fruit and a soft oak give it depth. It finishes long, fruity and clean. This is a light, tropical Highland single malt.