Fettercairn 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%

Twenty years is a round number, and Signatory waited for it. The casks were filled in October 1997 and not emptied until February 2018, two decades in which the only things that happened were evaporation and time.

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

The expert description

Fettercairn 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in two hogsheads and bottled at 46%.

The bottling belongs to The Un-Chillfiltered Collection, the Signatory range where the whisky is never chilled and filtered but bottled at 46% in natural colour. The casks, numbers 5604 and 5605, were filled on 10 October 1997 and bottled on 28 February 2018.

Twenty years is a long time for the light Fettercairn spirit, and yet the oak has never become dominant. That is down to the hogshead format, where the ratio of wood to liquid is gentle enough for the whisky to mature at length without drying out.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe orchard and vanilla first, then waxed wood, lemon peel and a dusty cereal note underneath.

Palate

Malt and pale caramel do the carrying, while yellow fruit and a touch of coconut rise out of the oak. The spice is dry and restrained.

Finish

Long and dry with mineral, white pepper and a final note of honey on toast.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogsheads no. 5604 and 5605
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 10 October 1997
Bottled: 28 February 2018
Edition: The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
EAN no.: 5021944093755

Flavour profile

Malty · Fruity · Waxy · Mineral · Mature

Did you know?

A cask loses roughly two per cent of its contents to evaporation every year, what the trade calls the angels share. After twenty years only about two thirds of what went in is still there, and that is one of the reasons old bottlings are few.

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Frequently asked questions about Fettercairn 1997/2018 Signatory Vintage 20 Years Old

What does the note about wear on the tube mean?

The tube is the metal canister the bottle is delivered in. It shows signs of handling, and the lid has surface rust. The bottle and the whisky are unaffected, but packaging condition counts if the bottle is going into a collection.

What is The Un-Chillfiltered Collection?

The Signatory range where the whisky is never chilled and filtered. It is bottled at 46% in natural colour, so the oils that give body in the mouth stay in the bottle.

What does twenty year old Fettercairn taste like?

Ripe orchard and vanilla on the nose, malt and pale caramel on the palate with yellow fruit and a little coconut, and a long dry finish of mineral and white pepper. The age shows as calm and depth rather than as wood.

Does the whisky not turn woody after so many years?

Not here. Hogsheads hold around 250 litres, and the greater ratio of liquid to wood keeps maturation slow enough that the oak never gains the upper hand. In a smaller cask twenty years would often have been too much.

Why two cask numbers?

Because the bottling comes from hogsheads 5604 and 5605, married before bottling. Both are from the same filling day in October 1997.

Why does it turn cloudy when I add water?

Because it is not chill filtered. The fatty acids that filtration would otherwise remove drop out as a light haze at low temperatures. That is a sign the whisky is untouched, not a fault.

How is the bottle best stored?

Upright, dark and cool, ideally inside its tube so the label is protected. Never lay it down. See our range of whisky glasses if it is to be opened.