Fettercairn 2008/2018 10 years old Mossburn Single Highland Malt Whisky 46%

Ten years is not long in whisky terms, and that is exactly the point here. Fettercairn is allowed to be young, bright and fruity before the oak starts deciding how the whole thing should taste.

The expert description

Fettercairn 2008/2018 Mossburn 10 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an American standard barrel and bottled at 46%.

Mossburn is an independent bottler that sent out its first bottles in 2017 with the simple idea that whisky should be bottled at a minimum of 46%, without colouring and without chill filtration. This release was distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2018 from batch 30.1008.18.

The cask is an American Standard Barrel, an ex-bourbon cask of around 200 litres. It is the smallest of the common cask sizes, so the wood works faster, and even after ten years there is plenty of vanilla and oak in the glass without the fruitiness of the distillery disappearing.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and young. Green apple and pear first, then vanilla, coconut and a light cereal note from the malt.

Palate

Bright and crisp with citrus peel, white peach and vanilla custard, while the oak lays a dry, lightly peppered edge underneath.

Finish

Medium and clean with malt, a touch of ginger and a final note of fresh oak.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 2008/2018 Mossburn 10 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Bottler: Mossburn
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American Standard Barrel
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2008
Bottled: 2018
Edition: Batch 30.1008.18
EAN no.: 5060033847244

Flavour profile

Fresh · Fruity · Vanilla · Lightly spiced · Young

Did you know?

An American Standard Barrel holds around 200 litres and is the cask American bourbon is legally allowed to use only once. That is why the Scottish industry has for decades brought its casks over from Kentucky in large numbers, and why so much Scotch whisky tastes of vanilla and coconut.

See our full range of Fettercairn
See our full range of Mossburn

Frequently asked questions about Fettercairn 2008/2018 Mossburn 10 Years Old

What does it taste like?

Fresh and young with green apple and pear on the nose, citrus peel and white peach on the palate, and a clean medium finish of malt and ginger. There is more crispness and less depth than in the older Fettercairn bottlings.

Who are Mossburn?

An independent bottler that released its first bottles in 2017. The principle is simple: at least 46% in strength, no colouring and no chill filtration, whichever distillery the cask came from.

What is an American Standard Barrel?

An ex-bourbon cask of around 200 litres. It is the smallest of the usual sizes, so the wood influences the whisky faster than a hogshead or a butt would.

Is ten years too little for a good single malt?

No, it is a different kind of whisky. Ten years in an active bourbon cask gives fruit, freshness and clear vanilla, where twenty would have traded some of that freshness for depth and mineral.

What does the batch number mean?

It is the Mossburn tracking for this particular bottling, here 30.1008.18. It makes it possible to tell apart several releases of the same distillery and age from the same bottler.

How does it differ from Fettercairn 12 Years Old?

It is bottled at 46% rather than 40% and is neither coloured nor chill filtered, which gives more body and a sharper fruit. The official twelve year old is softer and more rounded in return. See more in our Highland Whisky.

Should you add water?

Try it neat first. At 46% it stands well on its own, but a single drop can take the edge off the oak and loosen the apple notes. See our range of whisky glasses.