Fettercairn 1996/2014 Signatory 17 Year Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 46%

A cask filled on the last day of September 1996, and then seventeen years in which nobody touched it. Signatory left it standing until it was finished with itself, and bottled it as it was.

Please note: wear and rust on the lid and the box.

The expert description

Fettercairn 1996/2014 Signatory 17 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a single hogshead and bottled at 46%.

The cask, number 4339, was filled on 30 September 1996 and bottled on 20 February 2014. Signatory Vintage of Pitlochry buys single casks from distilleries across Scotland and bottles them without chill filtration and without added colour, and it is exactly this kind of release where the character of Fettercairn is allowed to stand without being tidied up.

Seventeen years in a hogshead is a calm maturation. The cask is large enough that the oak never takes charge, and the result is the clean, fruity house style in a more mature and restrained form than the official releases.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft notes of ripe barley, citrus oil and vanilla, with light tropical fruit and a touch of fresh oak and honey behind.

Palate

Round and full with classic Fettercairn tones of malt, pale caramel and fresh fruit, held together by a discreet spiced warmth from the cask.

Finish

Long, clean and lightly mineral with a dry elegance that reveals both the age and the quiet work of the cask.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 1996/2014 Signatory 17 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogshead no. 4339
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 30 September 1996
Bottled: 20 February 2014

Flavour profile

Fruity · Malty · Soft · Mineral · Single Cask

Did you know?

Signatory was founded in 1988 by brothers Andrew and Brian Symington and sits next to Edradour in Pitlochry, a distillery they later bought. The firm is therefore both an independent bottler and a distiller at the same address.

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Frequently asked questions about Fettercairn 1996/2014 Signatory 17 Years Old

What does the wear on the lid and box mean?

It affects the packaging only and has no bearing on the whisky in the bottle. For a collector the condition of the box is part of the calculation, but for anyone buying the bottle to drink it makes no difference.

What does it taste like?

Ripe barley, citrus oil and vanilla on the nose, malt and pale caramel on the palate with fresh fruit, and a long mineral finish. Seventeen years have made it restrained rather than powerful.

What is a single cask bottling?

A bottling from one cask alone, here hogshead number 4339. There is no marrying with other casks, so the flavour is precisely what this particular cask ended up giving. Once the cask is empty it no longer exists.

Who are Signatory?

An independent bottler from Pitlochry, founded in 1988. They buy single casks from distilleries across Scotland and bottle them without chill filtration and without colouring, so the character of the distillery stands as clearly as possible.

What is a hogshead?

A cask of around 250 litres, typically rebuilt from American bourbon barrels with extra staves added. The size gives a slow, even maturation where the oak rarely takes over even after many years.

Should you add water?

Try it neat first. At 46% it is already balanced, but a few drops of water loosen the citrus and honey notes and soften the mineral finish a little.

How does it differ from the official Fettercairn releases?

It is neither chill filtered nor coloured and comes from one cask rather than a marriage of many. That gives a less edited version of the house style. See more in our Highland Whisky.