The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Alex Southgate
Rating: B+
Fettercairn Warehouse 2, Batch No. 1 Small Batch Whisky
(Credit: Fettercairn)
It’s always nice to try new things. To be lucky enough to be one of the first to try something is an added boon. I count myself to be one of that lucky group and am very pleased to be able to tell you all about Warehouse 2, Batch 001, the new expression from Fettercairn. I’m also very pleased to tell you that I wasn’t at all disappointed. I’ll come to this shortly though.
To tell you a bit about Warehouse 2, you could say this is a whisky that’s years in the making. This expression uses spirit from the Fettercairn stills, and filled hand-selected American and European oak casks with it back in 2010. These casks had been maturing in Warehouse 2 of the distillery, until they were ready to be bottled here in 2021, hence the simple but very much to the point name.
Warehouse 2 is leading Fettercairn’s first small batch series. The fact that we’re trying the first of a first, if you will, is exciting in and of itself. Being a small batch, this whiskey is also limited edition and, therefore, worth getting your hands on sooner than later.
The Scotch
Fettercairn Warehouse 2 is a soft amber in the bottle. This shade carries over to the glass on the pour and this whisky leaves fairly pronounced legs as it moves about the glass.
The nose gives us hints of apple and honey but more pronounced is a complex and very notable blend of spice. The warmth of ginger comes over and is paired with the nuttiness of caramelized butter. The finish, for me, is salted caramel.
The spiciness of the nose clearly comes over in the taste. The first thing I notice when Warehouse 2 hits my palate is ginger and clove. This subsides to reveal the citrus hit of grapefruit. The finish combines coconut with brown sugar, leaving a wonderful toasted richness behind. This is substantiated with notes of oak.
All round, Warehouse 2 is delicious. This whisky dances on your palette giving little bursts of flavour. If this is the opening act I can’t wait to see what the rest of the collection has in store for us.
The Price
Fettercairn Warehouse 2 prices up at £55 for those of us here in the UK.
