Fettercairn 16 yo - Third Release 2022

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46.4% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Three successive cask types shape the third annual edition of Fettercairn 16. The whisky first matured in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks, then in first-fill Pedro-Ximénez sherry casks, before receiving a final finish in ex-bourbon barrels. Launched in 2020, the series comprises limited annual releases with different cask recipes. The 2022 edition combines these cask influences with the distillery's tropical, fruity house style.

Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass selected the casks and married the whiskies matured in them. The aim was for the cask influence to complement Fettercairn's characteristic fruit expression. Dried exotic fruit and figs meet ripe guava, cocoa and baking spices, while ginger cake and subtle coffee notes add further accents to the finish.

The sixteen-year-old whisky was bottled at 46.4% in 0.7-litre bottles. It is non-chill filtered and contains no added colouring.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose reveals dried exotic fruit and figs in light syrup. Grapefruit and mature oak notes complement the aromas.
• Palate: On the palate, sweet raisins and ripe guava combine with baking spices and cocoa. Vanilla becomes increasingly prominent.
• Finish: Moist ginger cake, passion fruit and baked apple linger on the finish. Subtle notes of roasted coffee accompany the lingering flavours.

Distillery/Bottler:

Fettercairn is situated in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, at the foot of the Cairngorms. Sir Alexander Ramsay founded the distillery in 1824, shortly after the Excise Act had improved the conditions for licensed whisky distillation. To work the stills, he recruited men who had previously made whisky illegally and brought the necessary practical knowledge with them.

An unusual technical solution was developed under Alastair Menzies in the mid-1950s: a copper ring around the upper part of the still allows mountain water to flow down its exterior. The cooled copper increases condensation inside, allowing mainly lighter vapours to rise for further collection. This process contributes to the tropical, fruity character that also guides cask selection for the sixteen-year-old annual editions.

Facts: