Autumn air settles into the fermentation. That is at least Fary Lochan's philosophy – and the autumn distillation is one of the most aromatically rich in the seasonal series.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Autumn Batch 02 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky from the autumn distillation, bottled at 48%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan in Give, Jutland, distils in four seasons as a core principle, as temperature and environment influence fermentation character. Autumn batches are known to be slightly heavier and more aromatic than summer ones. Batch 02 is the second bottling in this seasonal line. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe fruit, lightly dried leaves, vanilla and a touch of oak.

Palate

Smooth malt, apple, honey and a warm spice.

Finish

Gentle and fruity with a hint of oak and delicate sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Autumn Batch 02
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 50 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Autumn Batch 02

Flavour profile

Fruity · Smooth · Seasonal · Honey

Did you know?

Fary Lochan does not always publish exact distillation dates for seasonal batches – but autumn distillations typically happen in September-October, when fermentation temperatures are cooler than in summer.

The miniature is the smart way to get to know a whisky. 5 cl is enough to understand what Fary Lochan's Rum Edition is about – rum finish, high strength, and a Danish distillate that is not afraid to do things differently.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Miniature Rum Edition Batch 02 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky finished in rum casks, bottled at 55.9%, 5 cl miniature bottle. It is the same expression as Fary Lochan's full-size Rum Edition Batch 02, simply packaged as a sample bottle. Batch 02 is the second bottling in the Rum Edition series and is slightly lower in strength than Batch 1 (64.7%). Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sugarcane, tropical fruit, warm honey and leather.

Palate

Sweet rum character, malted base, banana and cask spice.

Finish

Warm and medium length with sweet rum-cask signature and light oak dryness.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Miniature Rum Edition Batch 02
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 55.9%
Size: 5 CL
Cask type: Rum cask (finished)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Rum Edition Batch 02

Flavour profile

Rum finish · Sweet · Tropical · Miniature

Did you know?

Whisky miniatures are widely used by collectors and tasters, but also serve a practical purpose: they are perfect for comparing batches side by side or as a gift for the curious whisky newcomer.

Peat smoke and port wine casks – an unusual pairing that Fary Lochan has made distinctly their own.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Port & Peat Batch 02 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky finished in port wine casks and bottled at cask strength 54.3%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, was founded in 2009 by Jeff Callaway and is Denmark's first single malt distillery. Grain is sourced locally and seasonal distillations are a hallmark of the operation. Batch 02 uses peated malt as its base with a finishing period in port wine casks that adds sweetness and fruit to the smoky character. Bottled non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Smoke, dried fruit, port wine, plums and a hint of earthiness.

Palate

Peated malt, blackcurrant, dark chocolate and spiced oak.

Finish

Long and smoky with berries and a touch of pepper.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Port & Peat Batch 02
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 54.3%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Port wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled

Flavour profile

Peated · Fruity · Spiced · Port wine

Did you know?

Fary Lochan is named after a small lake near the distillery in Give – a nod to the Scottish tradition of naming whiskies after local natural landmarks.

Rum and whisky are no strangers. Fary Lochan chose to rest the distillate in rum casks, then bottle it straight at cask strength. 64.7% is hard to ignore – this is a whisky that demands respect and a little water.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Rum Edition Batch 1 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky finished in rum casks and bottled at cask strength 64.7%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, has a tradition of experimenting with finishes in unconventional casks. Here it is the rum cask that takes control – sweet, exotic, and with a clear tropical fruit note over Fary Lochan's malted base. Bottled without chill filtration and with natural colour at cask strength.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sugarcane, tropical fruit, banana, honey and warm oak.

Palate

Bold and sweet – rum syrup, cask strength alcohol, vanilla and rich fruity sweetness.

Finish

Long, warm and sweet with a clear rum-cask signature and light tannin.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Rum Edition Batch 1
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 64.7%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Rum cask (finished)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Rum Edition Batch 1

Flavour profile

Rum finish · Sweet · Tropical · Cask strength

Investment potential

Medium. Fary Lochan Rum Edition Batch 1 was bottled at cask strength and is no longer in production. Early high-ABV bottlings from Danish micro-distilleries have shown growing collector interest.

Did you know?

Fary Lochan's Rum Edition series is made by resting the finished single malt in empty rum casks – so-called finishing. It adds an entirely new flavour dimension without erasing the whisky's malt character.

Rum Edition Batch 3 is the series at its most accessible. 48.5% instead of Batch 1's formidable 64.7% – but the rum finish is still there, warm and sweet, without getting in the way of everything else.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Rum Edition Batch 3 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky finished in rum casks and bottled at 48.5%, 50 cl. It is the third bottling in Fary Lochan's Rum Edition series, and with a strength well below the earlier batches, it is the most drinkable expression in the lineup. The rum cask provides its characteristic sweetness and tropical note, but at 48.5% it allows the malt's own qualities more space. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sugarcane, banana, light vanilla and a honeyed malt base.

Palate

Soft rum character, malt, tropical fruit and a spiced warmth in the centre.

Finish

Medium length and sweet with rum-cask notes and a touch of oak at the end.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Rum Edition Batch 3
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48.5%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Rum cask (finished)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Rum Edition Batch 3

Flavour profile

Rum finish · Sweet · Tropical · Accessible

Did you know?

Rum Edition Batch 3 is the most accessible in the series – at a strength well below Batch 1, it can be drunk neat by most people without water. The ideal introduction to Fary Lochan's rum-finish style.

Smoke and sherry are a classic pairing. Fary Lochan has combined a little peat in the malting with a sherry cask finish, and in Batch 05 the exercise is close to perfected.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Smoke & Sherry Cask Batch 05 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky made from lightly peated malt and finished in sherry casks, bottled at 50.3%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, uses peated malt in part of its production to give certain batches a smoky dimension. The sherry cask adds fruit, sweetness, and depth on top of the smoke note. Batch 05 is the fifth bottling in this combination line. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Light smoke, dried cherries, sherry sweetness and damp earth.

Palate

Fruity sherry, mild smoke, plum jam and a warm spice.

Finish

Medium length with sweet smoky residue and a trace of tannin from the sherry cask.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Smoke & Sherry Cask Batch 05
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 50.3%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: Sherry cask (finished)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Edition: Smoke & Sherry Cask Batch 05

Flavour profile

Lightly peated · Sherry · Fruity · Smooth

Did you know?

Fary Lochan's Smoke & Sherry Cask series combines two classic whisky elements – peat and sherry cask – in a Danish version. While Scottish peated whiskies typically use heavy peat, Fary Lochan's smoke level is markedly lighter and more delicate.

In the summer of 2010, Fary Lochan was still a young distillery. The summer distillation from that year carries a freshness and lightness that the warm season provides – a brighter expression than the heavy autumn batches.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Summer 2010/2015 Batch 01 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky from the summer 2010 distillation, bottled in 2015 at 46%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, works with four seasonal distillations as a core principle. The summer distillation happens in the warmest months, when fermentation temperatures increase speed and can influence fruity esters. Batch 01 is the first bottling from summer 2010. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh fruit, apple, honey and a light floral note.

Palate

Light and fresh malt, citrus, white peach and mild vanilla.

Finish

Short to medium, fresh and lightly fruity with a gentle oak note.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Summer 2010/2015 Batch 01
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 50 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2010
Bottled: 2015

Flavour profile

Fresh · Fruity · Light · Floral

Did you know?

Summer distillations in Denmark happen at higher temperatures than other seasons – fermentation runs faster and typically produces more fruity esters, giving summer batches a light and lively character.

Sweet & Spicy is a promise. PX sherry delivers the sweetness, and the natural malt base supplies the spice. Fary Lochan made a dram that refuses to pick a side.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Sweet & Spicy PX is a Danish Single Malt Whisky with PX sherry influence, bottled at cask strength 58.7%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, was founded in 2009 and uses locally grown grain. PX – Pedro Jiménez – is one of the sweetest sherry styles, and the casks contribute raisins, dried fruit, and dense sweetness to the whisky's natural malt spice. Bottled at cask strength, non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Raisins, plums, caramel and a light pepper-spiced note.

Palate

Sweet PX sherry, ginger, dark sugar and malt.

Finish

Warm and long with sweet sherry and a spiced dryness.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Sweet & Spicy PX
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 58.7%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: PX sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Sweet · Spiced · Full-bodied

Did you know?

PX sherry is made from Pedro Jiménez grapes sun-dried before pressing – the concentration of sugar and flavour is significantly higher than in most other wine styles used for whisky casks.

Season no. 1 is the beginning. The first chapter in Fary Lochan's story about what Danish single malt can be – direct, accessible, and with enough character to hold attention.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Season no. 1 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky, 70 cl, bottled at 47%. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, founded in 2009 by Jeff Callaway, launched Season no. 1 as its first broadly accessible core product. It is a single malt that stands on its own – malty, fruity, and balanced – without needing exotic cask experiments. Non-chill filtered with natural colour at 47%.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh malt, light fruit, vanilla and a gentle honey note.

Palate

Malty and clean, light apple and pear, vanilla and a warm midpoint.

Finish

Clean and medium length – lightly fruity, warm, and accessible.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Season no. 1
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 47%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
EAN: 5714713002071

Flavour profile

Malt · Fruity · Light · Accessible

Did you know?

Season no. 1 was Fary Lochan's first genuine core product aimed at the broad market. The early batches and seasonal releases were experiments – Season no. 1 is the answer to the question: what is Fary Lochan when everything is distilled down?

Season no. 2 is where Fary Lochan meets everyday life. No extravagant cask experiments or extreme strength – just a well-balanced, accessible single malt that does most things right.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Season no. 2 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky, 70 cl, bottled at 48%. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, founded in 2009 by Jeff Callaway, produces seasonal expressions as part of its core lineup. Season no. 2 is the second edition in the series and draws on Fary Lochan's malted character combined with classic cask maturation. Non-chill filtered with natural colour at 48%.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh malt, soft honey, light florals and a discreet oak note.

Palate

Lightly fruity, malt, vanilla and a warm midpoint with good balance.

Finish

Medium length, clean and gentle – an accessible finish without sharp edges.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Season no. 2
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 48%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
EAN: 5714713002088

Flavour profile

Fruity · Honey · Smooth · Accessible

Did you know?

Fary Lochan's Season series is designed as an entry point to Danish single malt – an expression broad enough to serve as an introduction, but with enough character to hold the attention of an experienced whisky drinker.

A new charred oak cask with no previous spirit inside. That is virgin oak – raw and direct. No sherry, no bourbon. Just the wood and the distillate, for six years.

Expert description

Fary Lochan Virgin Cask 2013/2019 Batch 01 is a Danish Single Malt Whisky matured exclusively in a new oak cask – virgin oak – and bottled at 47.1%, 50 cl. Fary Lochan distillery in Give, Jutland, experiments with cask types as part of its production approach. Virgin oak delivers more powerful oak notes than used casks, along with more tannin and a characteristic spice. Distilled in 2013 and bottled in 2019 after six years of maturation. Non-chill filtered with natural colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Coconut, vanilla, fresh oak and a light sweet caramel.

Palate

Bold oak, coconut, malt and a warm tannic spice.

Finish

Dry, long and oak-spiced with a hint of fruit in the background.

Specifications

Name: Fary Lochan Virgin Cask 2013/2019 Batch 01
Distillery: Fary Lochan
Region/Country: Jutland, Denmark
Type: Danish Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 47.1%
Size: 50 CL
Cask type: New oak cask (virgin oak)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2013
Bottled: 2019

Flavour profile

Oak-forward · Coconut · Tannin · Spiced

Did you know?

Virgin oak – new, charred oak casks with no previous spirit – delivers a significantly more intense oak impact than used casks. It is one of the fastest and most striking cask experiments a distiller can run.

Adelphi has its own name for distilleries that don't want to appear on the label. Fascadale is their term for an Orkney whisky the trade widely recognises as Highland Park — bottled without filtration and without added colour, as Adelphi always does.

Expert Description

Fascadale 14 Year Old Highland Park Adelphi Batch 10 is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, bottled non-chill filtered and with natural colour at 46%.

The name Fascadale is Adelphi's own name for this bottling, since the distillery cannot be named directly on the label. Adelphi is one of Scotland's most respected independent bottlers, known for consistently bottling without chill filtration or added colour, letting the whisky's full, unaltered character come through.

Batch 10 is limited to 1,498 bottles and shows the Orkney style in a clean, hands-on edition.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Heather blossom and a light, earthy peat meet honey and fresh apples.

Palate

Soft and oiled, with citrus peel, malt and a warm spice trail.

Finish

Medium in length and lightly peated, with a lingering sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Fascadale 14 Year Old Highland Park Adelphi Batch 10
Distillery: Highland Park (unofficial name: Fascadale)
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Orkney Islands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 Years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 1,498
Edition: Batch No. 10, limited edition
EAN: 5060383652284

Flavour Profile

Peated · Maritime · Fruity · Soft

Did You Know?

Adelphi never bottles with chill filtration or added colour — a firm practice meant to preserve the whisky's full, natural character.

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Just a 30-minute drive south of Dublin lies Powerscourt Estate, named by National Geographic as one of the world's most beautiful gardens, and this is where the Fercullen whiskeys are distilled.

Expert Review

Fercullen 10 Year Old is a Single Grain Irish Whiskey matured in American white oak and finished in fresh bourbon casks, bottled at 40%.

The whiskey is distilled by Powerscourt Distillery, one of Ireland's newest distilleries, established in 2017 with the first distillations in 2018. The distillery is located on Powerscourt Estate in County Wicklow, owned by the Slazenger family, and sells its Single Malt, Single Grain and Blended releases under the Fercullen brand. This 10-year-old single grain spends its first years in American white oak before finishing in completely fresh bourbon casks, giving a combination of classic grain sweetness and fresher cask spice.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and grain sweetness, with a hint of fresh oak.

Palate

Soft and round, with caramel and light spice from the fresh bourbon casks.

Finish

Medium and mild, with lingering sweetness.

Specifications

Name: Fercullen 10 Year Old
Distillery: Powerscourt
Region/Country: County Wicklow, Ireland
Type: Single Grain Irish Whiskey
Age: 10 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American white oak & fresh bourbon casks
EAN no.: 5391533850039

Flavour Profile

Grain-sweet · Vanilla-forward · Soft · Round · Mild

Did You Know?

Powerscourt Estate, where Fercullen is distilled, has been named by National Geographic as one of the three most beautiful gardens in the world, thanks to its 47 hectares of gardens with Sugarloaf Mountain in the background.
See our full range of Powerscourt

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

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.

See our full range of Fettercairn
See our full range of Signatory Vintage

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The same day in September 1996, the same distillery, two casks. Signatory left them for nineteen years and then married them together, nearly two decades in the coolest corner of the Highlands gathered into one bottle.

Please note: wear and rust on the lid.

The expert description

Fettercairn 1996/2015 Signatory 19 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in two married hogsheads and bottled at 46%.

The casks, numbers 4351 and 4356, were filled on 30 September 1996 and bottled on 29 October 2015. Two casks from the same filling day give a slightly broader profile than a single cask without losing the stamp of the individual vintage.

Nineteen years is enough for the light, sweet spirit of the distillery to gain depth without turning woody. The whisky is bottled in natural colour and without chill filtration, so every nuance stands untouched.

Tasting notes

Nose

Opens with ripe cereal notes, citrus and vanilla, and a light tropical sweetness followed by fresh oak and a touch of honey.

Palate

Full and rounded with classic Fettercairn tones of malt, pale caramel and green fruit, and a mild spiced warmth from the cask.

Finish

Long, clean and lightly mineral with a dry elegance that speaks of nearly two decades of quiet maturing in the Highland climate.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 1996/2015 Signatory 19 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 19 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Hogsheads no. 4351 and 4356
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 30 September 1996
Bottled: 29 October 2015

Flavour profile

Fruity · Malty · Soft · Mineral · Mature

Did you know?

When two casks from the same filling day are married, it is no longer called single cask, but it is not a blend either. Bottlers do it because two identical casks rarely taste identical, and because two casks stretch to twice as many bottles as one.

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See our full range of Signatory Vintage

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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.

See our full range of Fettercairn
See our full range of Signatory Vintage

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On the edge of the Cairngorms, where the mountains throw long shadows across the Mearns, Fettercairn makes a spirit that has always leaned towards the sweet and the full. Nineteen years of quiet, and then bottled by one of the oldest independent houses in Scotland. This is not a bottle that shouts. It lets the time do the talking.

The expert description

Fettercairn 2006/2025 Cadenhead's Original Collection 19 Years Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 46%.

The bottling comes from Cadenhead's, the oldest independent bottler in Scotland, founded in Aberdeen in 1842. The Original Collection is the plain-spoken sort: single malt bottled without colouring, unfiltered, and at a strength that lets the cask and the distillery speak without burning. Unlike the official Fettercairn releases this bottle does not carry the distillery livery but Cadenhead's sober green label, where everything is about what is inside.

The whisky spent nineteen years in bourbon casks throughout. No finishing, no sherry to cover anything up. This is Fettercairn in its purest form, where the heavy, sweet house style and the oak from old American casks shape the flavour together, and the bourbon wood pulls it in the bright, fruit-sweet direction with vanilla and soft caramel rather than smoke or dryness.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sherbet lemons and quince first, then a soft toffee bonbon that rounds the whole thing off. Sweet and inviting, but not sticky.

Palate

Creamy and round, think vanilla custard and toffee popcorn, with juicy nectarines breaking through to keep it fresh.

Finish

Dries out slightly towards green notes and broom, where crisp Granny Smith apples and a dusting of clove give it a spiced touch at the close.

Specifications

Name: Fettercairn 2006/2025 Cadenhead's Original Collection 19 Years Old
Distillery: Fettercairn
Bottler: Cadenhead's
Region/Country: Highland Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 19 years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks throughout maturation
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2006
Bottled: 2025
Edition: Original Collection

Flavour profile

Fruity · Creamy · Oaky · Sweet · Mature

Investment potential

Medium. Nineteen year old Fettercairn from an independent bottler exists in small quantities, and Cadenhead's Original Collection has a settled collector following that watches the range closely. Bottlings from the house tend to leave the shelves within a couple of seasons.

Did you know?

Fettercairn is the only Scottish distillery with a copper ring around the top of its pot stills that lets cold water run down the outside during distillation. It cools the vapour and produces the light, clean spirit the distillery is known for.

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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.

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Bourbon from a town that was once dry for 117 years.

Expert description

FEW 93 proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the distillery's core expression, distilled from grain to bottle in Evanston, bottled at 46.5%. FEW Spirits was founded in 2011 by Paul Hletko in Evanston, Illinois — the birthplace of the American temperance movement, which remained dry for 117 years from 1855 to 1972. The name FEW is a cheeky nod to Frances Elizabeth Willard, one of Evanston's most prominent temperance advocates, and the distillery was founded as a grain-to-glass project, distilling everything from scratch on site.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is soft with caramel, honey and a hint of grain.

Palate

The palate offers brown sugar, vanilla and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium-length, soft and round.

Specifications

Name: FEW 93 proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distillery: FEW Spirits
Region/Country: Evanston, Illinois, USA
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 46.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Soft · Sweet · Round · Caramel

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The same grain-to-glass philosophy, but with rye in the driver's seat.

Expert description

FEW Rye 93 proof Straight Rye Whiskey is the distillery's rye-forward expression, distilled from grain to bottle in Evanston, bottled at 46.5%. FEW Spirits was founded in 2011 by Paul Hletko in Evanston, Illinois — the birthplace of the American temperance movement, which remained dry for 117 years from 1855 to 1972. The name FEW is a cheeky nod to Frances Elizabeth Willard, one of Evanston's most prominent temperance advocates, and the distillery was founded as a grain-to-glass project, distilling everything from scratch on site.

Tasting notes

Nose

The nose is spiced with pepper, grain and a hint of fruit.

Palate

The palate offers rye, spice and light sweetness.

Finish

The finish is medium to long, dry and peppery.

Specifications

Name: FEW Rye 93 proof Straight Rye Whiskey
Distillery: FEW Spirits
Region/Country: Evanston, Illinois, USA
Type: Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 46.5%
Size: 70 CL

Flavour profile

Spiced · Peppery · Grainy · Dry

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Finlaggan is the name of the island in the loch from which the Lords of the Isles once ruled the Hebrides. The whisky carries the name but not the distillery, because who made it is something you do not get told.

The expert description

Finlaggan Cask Strength is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at cask strength 58%.

Behind the bottle stands The Vintage Malt Whisky Company, a family firm from Glasgow founded in 1992. They buy casks from an undisclosed Islay distillery and bottle them under the Finlaggan name, which is an entirely ordinary arrangement when a distillery sells casks on without wanting its name on the label.

Cask Strength is the heaviest in the range and is bottled without dilution, without chill filtration and without colouring. The 58% makes a difference you notice immediately: the smoke sits denser and oilier than the same whisky would at 46%.

Tasting notes

Nose

Deep peat smoke and burnt wood, enriched by subtle hints of iodine and seaweed of the kind Islay is known for.

Palate

Vigorous and full bodied with an intense wave of smoke and malt, and a slight underlying sweetness that balances the robust peat character.

Finish

Long and persistent with an enveloping warmth that gradually releases nuances of dark chocolate and spices.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Cask Strength
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 58%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Cask Strength

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peaty · Maritime · Spiced · Cask Strength

Did you know?

Finlaggan is a small island in Loch Finlaggan on Islay, and from here the Lords of the Isles governed much of the Scottish islands and the western seaboard in the Middle Ages. The ruins are still there, a couple of kilometres from the distillery nobody will put a name to.

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Eilean Mòr means the big island in Gaelic, and it is precisely that islet in Loch Finlaggan where the Lords of the Isles had their seat. The whisky is the more considered of the Finlaggan bottles, still peated but with the reins on.

The expert description

Finlaggan Eilean Mor is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 46% in small batch.

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company of Glasgow stands behind the whole Finlaggan range, and the malt comes from an Islay distillery that is not named. Eilean Mor sits a level above the basic releases: the strength is raised to 46% and bottling happens in smaller runs rather than continuously.

Those extra points do more than the number suggests. The smoke gains carrying power, the texture turns fuller, and the light oiliness that marks Islay malt comes through more clearly than in the standard releases at 40%. The whisky is bottled without chill filtration and without colouring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet peat smoke with medicinal notes and a touch of sea salt.

Palate

Full bodied with spicy peat smoke, tar and iodine, a light oiliness and a sweet malt sitting underneath it all.

Finish

The smoke falls back to embers. Long and slightly drying.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Eilean Mor
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Eilean Mor Small Batch
EAN no.: 5024720311005

Flavour profile

Smoky · Peaty · Maritime · Sweet · Medicinal

Did you know?

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company owns several brands that all stand for unnamed distilleries, Finlaggan from Islay among them and Tantallan from the Highlands alongside it. The model gives them access to casks they could never otherwise buy, in exchange for keeping quiet about where they came from.

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Old Reserve is the Finlaggan you reach for without making an occasion of it. Peated enough to be Islay, mild enough to drink on an ordinary Wednesday.

The expert description

Finlaggan Old Reserve is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company buys the casks from an Islay distillery that does not want its name on the label and bottles them under the Finlaggan name. Old Reserve is the slightly more mature of the two entry releases, and the bourbon wood is chosen because it lays vanilla and pale sweetness beneath the smoke rather than fighting it.

At 40% this is the softest end of the range. That makes it a sensible way to meet Islay for the first time, and a bottle you can keep on the shelf without having to be in the mood for it.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft peat smoke and vanilla, with a lightly salted edge and a note of dried citrus peel behind.

Palate

Round and malty with the smoke as a frame. Caramel and pale fruit in the middle, and a light ashy dryness that keeps the sweetness in check.

Finish

Medium and clean with smoke, malt and a final touch of pepper.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Old Reserve
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask
Edition: Old Reserve
EAN no.: 5024720900001

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Soft · Vanilla · Maritime

Did you know?

On the smallest of the islands in Loch Finlaggan, Eilean na Comhairle, stood the Council Isle. The fourteen councillors who governed the Lordship of the Isles met here, and decisions taken on that small islet applied from the Hebrides to Ulster.

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There is Islay whisky you have to work up to. This is not one of them. Original is the way into the range and into the island, peat, salt and malt in the most direct form it can be done.

The expert description

Finlaggan Original is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 40%.

The malt comes from an undisclosed Islay distillery and The Vintage Malt Whisky Company of Glasgow handles the bottling. It is a model where the distillery sells casks on without wanting its name on the label, and in return you get an island malt on a far more straightforward shelf than the official releases occupy.

The bourbon wood provides the bright frame and 40% keeps it light. This is not a whisky trying to impress. It is trying to be a good Islay dram, and it succeeds.

Tasting notes

Nose

Peat smoke first, then malt and a pale sweetness, with a seaweed and salt note that recalls a coastline a couple of hundred metres away.

Palate

Direct and malty. The smoke carries while caramel and apple sit beneath, and a lightly peppered edge rises towards the close.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and smoky with a final scatter of salt.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Original
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask
Edition: Original
EAN no.: 5024720350004

Flavour profile

Smoky · Malty · Maritime · Peaty · Soft

Did you know?

The peat on Islay is not like mainland peat. The island bogs formed close to the sea out of moss, heather and seaweed, and that is why Islay smoke carries the salted, almost iodine-like note a Highland peat never gives.

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Port and peat smoke ought not to work together. One is sweet and grapey, the other ashy and salty. The combination has nonetheless become one of the most used in modern Islay whisky, and here is why.

The expert description

Finlaggan Port Finish is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky first matured in bourbon casks and then finished in port casks, bottled at 46%.

The malt comes from an undisclosed Islay distillery, and The Vintage Malt Whisky Company has given it a spell in port wood after the main maturation. The port leaves red berries and a grapey sweetness that settle on top of the smoke rather than mixing into it, and that layering is the entire point of a finish.

At 46% the whisky has enough body to carry both, and it is neither chill filtered nor coloured. The reddish tone in the glass comes from the wood alone.

Tasting notes

Nose

Smoky and medicinal peat first, with a clear touch of red berries and grapes behind.

Palate

Plenty of port sweetness with the smoke lying underneath. Raisin, pepper, leather and red berries unfold as it goes.

Finish

Long with grape skin, dry smoke and a warm spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Port Finish
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask finished in port casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Port Finish
EAN no.: 5024720313009

Flavour profile

Smoky · Fruity · Sweet · Spiced · Berry

Did you know?

A port cask, a pipe, holds around 550 to 650 litres, making it far larger than the bourbon casks the whisky sat in first. That means a port finish works more slowly than you might think, taking months where a small cask would have done the job in weeks.

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Red wine casks are rare in Scotch whisky, and there is a reason for that. The tannins can turn a whisky bitter and dry if you are not careful. Here they are used to pull the smoke towards fruit instead.

The expert description

Finlaggan Red Wine Finish is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky first matured in bourbon casks and then finished in red wine casks, bottled at 46%.

The malt comes from an undisclosed Islay distillery, and The Vintage Malt Whisky Company moved it into red wine wood at the end. Where a port cask gives sweet, concentrated fruit, the red wine cask gives something drier and more grapey, plum, berry and a light tannin edge that keeps the sweetness in place.

The result is the most fruit-driven of the Finlaggan finishes, but also the one where the smoke is allowed to stay in front. It is bottled at 46% without chill filtration and without added colour.

Tasting notes

Nose

Lovely peat smoke with sweet red berries, dried fruit, oak and vanilla behind it.

Palate

Salted and smoky with notes of sweet fruit, plum jam, red grapes, orange marmalade and berries.

Finish

Sweet malt notes and grape skin, while the bonfire smoke lingers long afterwards.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Red Wine Finish
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask finished in red wine casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Red Wine Finish
EAN no.: 5024720322001

Flavour profile

Smoky · Fruity · Berry · Sweet · Maritime

Did you know?

Red wine casks are used far less often than sherry and bourbon wood in Scotch whisky. Wine casks are built thinner and have not held strong spirit before, which makes them less predictable, and the tannins can leave the whisky dry and tight if the cask is allowed to work too long.

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Sherry and peat smoke are the oldest pairing in Scotch whisky. The dark fruit settles like a blanket over the ash, and the result has been a favourite since somebody first happened to do it.

The expert description

Finlaggan Sherry Finish is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky first matured in bourbon casks and then finished in sherry casks, bottled at 46%.

The base whisky is the same peated Islay malt from an undisclosed distillery that the rest of the range is built on. The Vintage Malt Whisky Company has given it a closing spell in sherry wood, and that pulls it in a darker and fuller direction than either Original or the other finishes.

Sherry casks are the most used partner for smoke for a reason: raisin, fig and dark chocolate carry enough weight to meet the peat without either side disappearing. The whisky is bottled at 46% without chill filtration and without colouring.

Tasting notes

Nose

Peat smoke and dark dried fruit, with raisin, a touch of fig and a light nutty note from the wood.

Palate

Full and sweet with raisin and dark chocolate in front, while the smoke works its way up from below and lays salt and ash beneath the sweetness.

Finish

Long and warm with dried fruit, dry smoke and a final touch of spice.

Specifications

Name: Finlaggan Sherry Finish
Bottler: The Vintage Malt Whisky Company
Region/Country: Islay Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon cask finished in sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Sherry Finish
EAN no.: 5024720315003

Flavour profile

Smoky · Sherry matured · Sweet · Maritime · Spiced

Did you know?

Very few sherry casks in Scotch whisky have ever held sherry meant for drinking. They are sherry seasoned: new oak casks are sent to Spain, filled with sherry for a couple of years purely to give the wood character, and then shipped north. Genuine old bodega casks have become a rarity.

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