Fettercairn 8 Years Old 2008 Hepburn’s Choice (Langside Distillers)

This Fettercairn was bottled by Langside Distillers, an 8 year old, distilled in 2008, bottled at 46%, one of 407 bottles. Fettercairn is a Highland malt of pineapple and citrus, distilled at the foot of the mountains. It uses unpeated malt and matures mostly in American oak ex-Bourbon casks.

It was drawn off the stills, the cooling rings raising reflux for a fruity spirit, for the tropical, fruity make Fettercairn is known for. Maturation came in an Oloroso cask, layered over the tropical Fettercairn make. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over bright pineapple and citrus. Mountain spring water and the cooling rings give the tropical Fettercairn make. The cooling rings raise reflux and copper contact, so only the lightest vapours rise, for a tropical spirit. The cool Highland air of the Mearns gives a slow, even maturation in the dunnage warehouses.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow. Pineapple, citrus and a soft vanilla, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The texture is light and clean, the fruit lifted by vanilla. It finishes long, fruity and clean. This is a light, tropical Highland single malt.