• Founded: 1824
• Status: Operational
• Region: Highlands, Scotland – Fettercairn, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire AB30 1YB +44(0)1561 340205
• Online: https://www.fettercairnwhisky.com/

History Fettercairn Distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Ramsay, owner of the Fasque estate, who converted a corn mill at Nethermill into a distillery. After losing his fortune, Alexander was forced to sell the estate to the Gladstone family in 1829. John Gladstone’s son William Gladstone, went on to become Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer and was instrumental in passing various reforms on the taxation of whisky. In 1973 Whyte & Mackay acquired Fettercairn distillery and it has remained with the company since.

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling

• Fettercairn 12 Years Old (2022) - A pleasant single malt with plenty of fruity and grassy cereal influences and a touch of tropicality. 80/100
• Fettercairn 12 Years Old (2018) - Fettercairn 12 Years Old whisky review: Quite light and nondescript. 72/100
• Fettercairn 12 Years Old (2021) - Relatively easy going, everything is quite soft and smooth initially. There is that characteristic leafy green note to Fettercairn that seems much more integrated here than I remember previously, gets a little too spicy and drying at the end for me. 80/100
• Fettercairn 12 Years Old (2019) - Fettercairn 12 Years Old whisky review: Non-polarising/easy going, a great starter whisky into the Fettercairn range with plenty of their fruity and green spirit character, sweet with hints of spice and vanilla from the casks. 76/100
• Fettercairn 12 Years Old 2009 Bourbon Cask (2021) - Soft fruity and vanillic, actually really good, I think I like this single cask more than the standard Fettercairn 12 Years Old - I suspect Greg picked out one of the best of the bunch? 84/100
• Fettercairn 12 Years Old 2009 Rye Cask (2021) - Soft and gentle rye spices, much less sweet and more vaporous and spirit, perhaps displays more tropical fruit nature from the distillate. 82/100
• Fettercairn 12 Years Old Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask Edition (2019) - Fettercairn 12 Years Old Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask Edition whisky review: I preferred the standard 12 year old, the nose has some extra fruit and florality but the PX flavours don't really shine through here just add a little extra to an already sweet and fruity malt. 73/100
• Fettercairn 16 Years Old 1st Release (2020) - Fettercairn 16 Years Old 1st Release Whisky Review: A great addition to the range and one to follow as each batch promises to be as experimental as this 1st release. Despite chocolate malt and multiple cask use the core Fettercairn spirit qualities are still easily found in this expression. 87/100
• Fettercairn 16 Years Old 2nd Release 2021 (2022) - Classic combination of citrus and ginger with spice and zest in harmony. 84/100
• Fettercairn 22 Years Old (2020) - Fettercairn 22 Years Old whisky review: A deliciously sweet expression that really plays on Fettercairns core distillate flavours balanced against classic white oak ex-Bourbon maturation. Tropical fruits and syrup meet vanilla and wood spices resulting in a whole cake-shop of dessert-like flavours. 89/100
• Fettercairn 28 Years Old (2019) - Fettercairn 28 Years Old Whisky Review: A fantastically rich and woody character to this one with a hint of medicating herbs, delicious. 88/100
• Fettercairn 30 Years Old (2015) - Fettercairn 30 Years Old (43.3%, OB, 3000 Bottles, 2009) Fettercairn Distillery Whyte & Mackay 43.3% ABV £205 Score: 87/100 What they say: The official bottling of 30 Year Old Fettercairn, reportedly distilled […]
• Fettercairn Fasque (2013) - Fettercairn Fasque (42%, OB, 2012) NAS, 42% ABV £40 for 70cl Score 81/100 What they say: Founded by Sir Alexander Ramsay in 1824 on his family’s Fasque Estate, Fettercairn is one of […]
• Fettercairn Fior (2014) - Fettercairn Fior (42%, OB, 2014) 42% ABV, £38 Score: 79/100 What they say: “Fior means pure or true in Gaelic, and this no-age-statement bottling launched in summer 2010 is something of a […]
• Fettercairn New Make Spirit (2021) - More cereal and nutty than tropical fruits. Quite light as expected from their unique process, very little lactic & metallic notes I'd usually associate with new make, with a freshness and clarity of flavour.
• Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No.001 (2021) - A mixture of tropical fruit and spiced coffee from this melange of casks. Complex and refreshingly light on the palate true to Fettercairn's spirit. 85/100
• Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No.002 (2021) - Considering I find the standard 12 a little spicy in the tail I was a little apprehensive of the Rye maturation used here. It really accentuates other facets of Fettercairn's spirit but surreptitious use of sweet and vanillic ex-Bourbon casks brings plenty of coconut and chocolate along for the ride making this one a real journey. Actually the more I tasted the more welcoming the spicy Rye elements were. Bravo! 85/100

Independent Bottling

Douglas McGibbon

• Fettercairn 10 Years Old 2005 Provenance (2016) - Fettercairn 10 Years Old 2005 Provenance (46%, Douglas McGibbon, #10943, 2015) Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Fettercairn Distillery Bottling: Douglas Laing; Provenance range ABV: 46% Cost: £34.48 What they say: […]

Langside

• Fettercairn 6 Year Old 2008 Hepburn’s Choice (2017) - Fettercairn 6 Year Old 2008 Hepburn’s Choice (46%, Langside Distillers, European Oak Quarter Cask Finish, 95 Bottles, 2015) Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Fettercairn Distillery Bottling: Langside; Hepburn’s Choice ABV: […]

Samaroli

• Fettercairn 22 Years Old 1995 Cask 2809 (Samaroli) (2021) - A simply delicious Fettercairn, stated as a cask selected by Samaroli but had me wondering if this was one they had matured themselves in Virgin oak? Floral and fruity and plenty of New Make Spirit characteristics made this distinctly Fettercairn - tropical fruits in syrup. 88/100