Fettercairn 24 Years Old

An official release of Fettercairn, a 24 year old, from 1984, at 44.4%, 6000 bottles in all. Fettercairn is a fruity Highland single malt made at one of Scotland's oldest licensed distilleries, founded in 1824. It was the second distillery licensed in Scotland after the Excise Act of 1823.

It was made on mountain water with the stills drenched in cold water, for a clean make of pineapple and citrus. A bourbon barrel held it, the wood adding a light vanilla to the fruit. Through the evaporative decades the spirit concentrates, esters folding into dried mango, coffee and beeswax. Long ageing turns the fresh tropical fruit towards dried mango, coffee and a soft spice. In 2018 the distillery relaunched with a new core range under maker Gregg Glass. A Scottish oak project has planted thousands of native oak saplings beside the distillery. The water cooled stills give a light spirit that ages with grace.

Bottled at 44.4%, it is rounded. Tropical fruit, vanilla and a soft spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Soft tropical fruit and a vanilla sit behind the cask. The finish runs long, tropical and warming. This is a fruity, tropical Highland single malt.