Fettercairn 12 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40%

At the foot of the Cairngorms, cold mountain water runs down the outside of the copper stills at Fettercairn. It looks as odd as it sounds, and no other Scottish distillery does it.

The expert description

Fettercairn 12 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American white oak and ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

Alexander Ramsay founded the distillery in 1824 in the village of Fettercairn in the Mearns, where the Grampians drop away towards the coast. The distinctive feature is the cooling rings: a ring fitted around the top of each pot still lets crystal clear mountain water run down the copper from outside. The cooling creates more condensation inside, so only the lightest vapours make it all the way up, and that is the source of the clean, sweet spirit the distillery is known for.

Twelve years in American oak lays vanilla and soft spice on top of that. The result is a Highland malt with no smoke and no sharp edges, where the fruit is allowed to do the carrying.

Tasting notes

Nose

The colour of sunlight and amber honey. The aroma gives vanilla, ripe pear and soft spices, with a touch of fresh oak behind.

Palate

Soft and rounded. Nectarine and tropical fruit first, then milk chocolate and sweet cream, while fresh pineapple is balanced by oak and a note of damp leaves.

Finish

Cinnamon, candied ginger and nutmeg develop alongside creamy coffee, and menthol and crunchy apples are what remain at the end.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 12 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American white oak and ex-bourbon casks
EAN no.: 5013967013957

Flavour profile

Fruity · Soft · Vanilla · Creamy · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

When the warehouse at Fettercairn was built, the masons are said to have sealed a full bottle of whisky into the stone wall as a charm. As far as anyone knows it is still there, since nobody has fancied pulling the wall down to check.

See our full range of Fettercairn

Frequently asked questions about Fettercairn 12 Years Old

What does Fettercairn 12 Years Old taste like?

Soft and fruity with vanilla, pear and tropical fruit in front, milk chocolate and cream in the middle, and a finish of cinnamon, ginger and menthol. There is no smoke and there are no sharp edges.

What are the cooling rings and what do they do?

They are rings fitted around the top of the pot stills that let cold mountain water run down the copper on the outside. The cooling makes more of the heavy vapours fall back, so only the lightest reach the top. That produces a cleaner and sweeter spirit.

Is Fettercairn 12 Years Old peated?

No. Fettercairn works with unpeated barley and the profile is fruity and creamy. If peat smoke is what you want, it lives in our range of Islay Whisky.

Which casks is it matured in?

American white oak and ex-bourbon casks throughout. That is why vanilla, coconut-like sweetness and pale fruit take up so much room, where sherry casks would instead have pulled it towards raisin and dark fruit.

Where is the distillery?

In the village of Fettercairn in the Mearns, where the Grampians and the Cairngorms fall away towards the north-east coast. It was founded in 1824, making it one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland.

Is it a good place to start with Highland malt?

Yes. It is mild, fruity and easy to approach, and at 40% it demands neither water nor practice. See more options in our Highland Whisky.

Does it work as a gift?

Well, precisely because it is hard to disagree with. There is no smoke to have an opinion about and no high strength to get used to, and an age statement of twelve years signals that some thought went into it.

Which glass is recommended?

A tulip-shaped glass. At 40% the aroma is delicate, and a wide glass lets the fine fruit escape. See our range of whisky glasses.