The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Alex Southgate
Rating: B
Fettercairn12 Year Old
(Credit: Fettercairn Distillery)
I was fortunate to be able to sample Warehouse 2 Batch No.001 by Fettercairn recently and I have to say that I was mightily impressed. But, I was also able to try out the 12 Year Old expression from Fettercairn, and here are my impressions.
The Fettercairn Distillery has some serious history behind it. The business was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay, one of the Scottish landowners who campaigned to license Scotch Whiskey distillation. He was also one of the first to apply for a licence, which he applied to Fettercairn. Interestingly, Ramsay employed illegal whiskey makers to be his first stillmen. He understood that it was they who had the skills and experience needed to make his dream a reality.
Coming forward in time to the 1950s, Fettercairn’s staff was still looking for innovative ways to improve a standard they had been setting for over a hundred years. In the pursuit of making a purer expression of their spirit, Fettercairn learned that pouring water down the still cooled the copper. This in turn, increased condensation inside so only the lightest vapors could rise for collection. This discovery led to the creation of the cooling ring, a copper tube around the top of the still and continuously douses it with water. This unique method is still being used by the distillery today.
The 12 year old Scotch from Fettercairn has been matured in American white oak, ex-bourbon casks before being bottled at 40% ABV.
The Scotch
This 12YO is a deep gold color on the pour, leaving faint legs as it swirls around the glass.
There is a definite sweetness to the nose. The smoothness of milk chocolate and a dash of vanilla give way to more herbaceous tones. The coolness of mint pairs with just a hint of citrus.
The chocolate tones follow through to the taste but swiftly give way to a more pronounced hit of grapefruit. This is paired with a touch of lemon and the citrus flavors leave a sourness that sets your mouth watering. The finish is sharp but not at all unpleasant because it’s coupled with the sweetness of raisins.
This is a tasty whiskey for sure, but I’m not certain that it would be a go-to for me personally. For my part, I much prefer smoother, creamier whiskies, but this certainly has its virtues. Still, Fettercairn 12 is just a tiny bit too astringent for my palate. If you love that fruity, citrus blast, though I really think you’ll enjoy the 12 year old.
The Price
Fettercairn 12 comes in at around the £40 per 70cl bottle for those of us in the UK.
