Fettercairn 14 Years Old 2009 Cask #DL 17531 (Old Particular)

The Glasgow bottler Douglas Laing bottled this Fettercairn, a 14 year old, distilled in 2009, from cask DL 17531, bottled at 58.5%, one of 667 bottles. Fettercairn is a Highland single malt from the foot of the Cairngorms in Aberdeenshire, known for its tropical fruit style. Its stills carry unique cooling rings, copper tubes that drench them in cold mountain water.

Run through the water cooled stills for a light, tropical make, the cooling rings lifting a clean, tropical character. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the pineapple. By the integrating teens congeners fade and esters build, the tropical, fruity spirit growing rounder. The clean, fruity spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit to the fore. Active wood frames the fruit without overwhelming the light Highland spirit. It was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay, who turned a corn mill at Nethermill into a distillery.

Bottled at a cask strength 58.5%, it is rich. Pineapple, mango and a gentle honey, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is clean, the fruit carried on a light body. It finishes long, fruity and clean. This is a light, tropical Highland single malt.