Fettercairn 16-year-old

Aroma emphasizes fruity, whole fruit salad is mixed in, which didn't stop at tropical fruits, great. In the taste first more seasoning and spices. I would have expected more fruit... A shockingly short finish for me. [86 - 82 = good whisky -> get (second) bottle? Perhaps...] um yeah, the malt isn't bad, but it's not the hammer either. I honestly hoped for more in terms of taste; I'm really disappointed with the short finish.

This was a sample courtesy of Peatbogger and Slainte Mhath. The last Fettercairn I had was a Nas a while back and it was fine so it's nice to try a decent age statement.

A surprisingly wonderful, soothing dram. Yet it behaved very much, if not totally, like a bourbon cask matured one instead of sherry. That being said, it's still splendid. Not sure how many fills the casks are, but the result befits a time honored product should be. Well done!

The main focus is on the typical aromas of Bourbon Cask, a lot of sweetness is recognizable, a little grainy and hayy. Doesn't necessarily allow blind people to 16y. shut down.

Wonderful tropical nose. In addition to lemons, pineapple and melon resonate. A trace of light plums. Unfortunately, the nose is a bit weak on the chest and does not have a lot of volume, too little depth Initially broadly sweet in taste, then transitioning to a spicy pepperiness to a pleasantly bitter finish. Many nut flavors then delight in the medium-long finish.

Lured by its craft presentation, this Fettercairn was an imprudent impulse buy which I started to regret when I checked reviews afterwards. Whiffs of pinewood, pears and mango emerge from the glass, followed by mushrooms, hay and olive oil. Unusual, subtle and inviting. On the palate, citrus fruits, black pepper and a touch of stout are pushed to the side by walnuts, melon and distant honey. Rosemary, lemon zest and pronounced sherry notes characterize the long and solid finish. Lesson learned, right to an opinion does not make the opinion right. RATING: 3.9/5.0 stars ≙ 86 pts → FIRST-CLASS [-]

SHORT TASTING: a tasty, uncomplicated, beautifully matured malt! the nose (smell) convinced me the most! [color:] = gold;

The first nose shows fresh citrus notes with sweet dried plums and a hint of hazelnuts. A very subtle note of vanilla creeps up in the background. It starts out very sweet on the tongue, then spreads slightly peppery over the wings of the tongue. In my mouth I mainly have the dried plums again. Towards the finish and far in the aftertaste, roasted hazelnuts are very present. They stay on for so long that you can sit there smacking your lips 5 minutes later - wonderful.

Thanks to Slainte Mhath for the pour and the sample. Up and rising is probably a suitable term for Fettercairn distillery. The quality of this official bottling can't be down to just a fluke.

NOSE: Dried tropical fruit flavors meet brown cane sugar, honey and sweetened almonds. Plus light oak aromas. TASTE: full-bodied and spicy on the tongue. Milk chocolate and notes of dry raisins combine with oak, vanilla and subtle toasted aromas. FINISH: Long lasting, with lingering impressions of liquorice, pepper and oak spice.

In batch 1, I had a crazy journey through various fruit gardens in my mouth. With this expectation, Batch 2 disappointed me bitterly. I don't notice him for 16 years.

Pretty close to the 1st release.

Dirty, overly dirty. Salted caramel, nougatine, butter, cardboard and a little apple.

The 2020 version didn't work for me at all, let's see how it goes with the 2021 version.

Nose: buttery, vanilla, cookie, sweet fruit, ripe peaches, baked apples and pears with cinnamon, some exotic flavors, grilled pineapple, ripe mango, lots of honey, generally fruit salad drenched in honey, some meadow and wet hay, I don't have no idea where the oloroso and palo cortado are here, except for the delicate astringency of the wood. 86.00 Taste: Well, there's definitely sherry, milk chocolate with lots of dried fruit, but covered in an awful lot of tartness, spices, a bit of chilli, nutmeg, an awful lot of wood tartness, burnt toast, dried apricots, grapefruit, pomelo, and grapefruit zest . 83.00 Finish: medium short, warming, tart and bitter, lots of spices, chilli and pepper, delicate aftertaste of chocolate and cocoa 83.50

A first, quick impression after two drams:

It's a little lighter than the 1st release, but that doesn't have to mean anything. At first he smells a lot like weed, quite spicy with dried fruits. With a little time it gains aroma. And to my great joy, the long-awaited sherry aromas are now added... The start quite strong, again this spice, which is quite dominant. It is by no means sweet, lets its tart barrel aroma unfold, although here and there small synapses of fruity aromas gain the upper hand - but only briefly and rather delicately. He definitely has something of peaches, raisins, sloes. This is not a high-flyer for me - neither was the first one, by the way - but it has something, impresses with its individuality and independence.

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2023/08/02/bottle-polishing-a-summer-pair/ Credit to JoshNRW’s concise real-time review that starts with: ‘A small 2cl sample while playing online poker – this one fits in here very well, because it doesn’t require that much attention, but is still exciting and tasty’. Now for my wordy drivel. Did you know that Tomintoul owned Fettercairn in the 1970s? N: A curious and engaging if not strikingly harmonious 16yo. The funky spirit and cask medley provide a curious juxtaposition between a homemade/farmhouse vs chemical/factory style. Details speak of a [Ben Nevis-esque] squidgy lactic/eggy sour/sweet malty nose over sherries [and the illusion of wine casks as well as sauternes, madeira], fusty lemon juice, [a pinch of] mushroom powder, white > black pepper, rich soil, cheap rosé,… Mildly sharp, that sour/sweetness also comes, in part, from a suggestion of a Pickleback over lemon-drizzle [buckwheat] sponge cake,… crystallised ginger butter, a long-gone cigar/tobacco box, a musty pub [floor] in the morning,… and even urine, one inspired suggestion alongside barberries > sea buckthorn berries, and sumac! T: A narrow yet widening citrusy sour & sweet [and then to bitter] salty & white peppery bitter-murky/earthy malty arrival, the heat set back, a touch of filthy waxiness, a hint of paint, Assam tea, nibs & peas, toasted buckwheat groats, and Caramac/carob,… the cask mix, complex yet resultful. Over anything else, I think we have to celebrate this style as faithfully and uniquely Fettercairn. F: The curious/slightly undefinable citrusy peppery grapey & malty theme continues, texturally, waxy/oily/gacky~dry, a little briny, slightly papery/thin grey cardboard with more white pepper, and the seemingly obligatory metallic copper trait. At the death, I find it reminiscent of Lindores early core release [WLP] which, as a distillery, has [or did have] a black pepper note at its core [WLP]. Stale beer is a continuous theme, and is that a waft of turpentine? C: A commendable distillery-faithful single malt whisky, if not quite as mucky or curious/good as release #1 [WLP86]. With a soft resemblance to the core G&M Mortlach’s of old, you may well find this the perfect dram for when you’re fatigued over standard fare.

Tasty, well aged. Pleasantly dry due to the influence of Palo Cortado Sherry. Nice combination of tropical fruits and nutty aromas.

N: sweet/fruity, honey T: malty/spicy, sparkling A: Vanilla and tannins (not heavy)

Some fruits and a lot of sweet notes. I'm not gettin much more. No bad whisky but not really a whisky for me.

Brought this bottle to Manchester Whisky Club as part of a member led tasting in March 2022. First impression was less pungent on the nose than the first edition, probably due to the absence of port in the cask makeup. Sherry came through on the palette, though I'm not familiar with this particular sherry so can't say if it's characteristic. A good dram and reasonably priced.

Like the first release, well done and differentiated from the mainstream. Still quite different from Release 1. Fruitier and more tropical here despite the predominance of citrus and also a bit fermented, a bit more sour, a bit salty. A little chocolate first in the taste. Drinking strength adjusted perfectly. With time and quantity, bitter substances become noticeable in the finish.

16-year-old Fettercairn has appeared as the second release in the 2021 series. The color is decent gold, but doesn't look overdone. The whisky is uncolored and unchill filtered, which is unusual for bottlings from Whyte & Mackay Distilleries. The whisky comes from Oloroso and Palo Cortado casks. There are a few full agings, but the majority are finish casks. glen-efze.de

A completely different animal from the 1st release. Much "brighter" and more bourbon-based, less wine-infused and certainly less sweet. Feels like they used some extremely sour/tart/acerbic ex-bourbon casks here, which were too potent in flavor for the sherry casks to make much of a dent. I don't find this bad at all, just very counterintuitive after the previous bottling, as it goes in almost the opposite direction and concentrates on a very "un-modern" dry, acidic freshness.

Unfortunately, too much sulfur in the nose and on the palate. Significantly worse than the first release; people who are sensitive to sulfur – like me – beware!

Wow, this is a Fettercairn with character. The fruity and spicy flavour explosion was unexpected after the quirky but not too pleasant nose. It not often you'd encounter such a divergent nose and palate.

Decent but not outstanding. Expected a bit more on the sherry-front. Certainly for this price range... Not a huge fan of the nose. Some off notes for my liking. These luckely were lacking in the 18 and 22 that i had in a line up. Palate and finish are okay but nothing sensational. By sample, not full bottle.

A small 2cl sample while playing online poker - this one fits in here very well, because it doesn't require that much attention, but is still exciting and tasty. The price-performance ratio seems to me to be very good if you are in the mood for an unconventional whisky that tastes good and doesn't cost much. Between 87 and 88 points, depending on how you feel on the day. 88 points for me today.

This isn't bad.

Boaf.

Strongly spicy, grainy on the nose. Exudes a very intense, but somehow youthful aroma. Fresh, sweet fruit. Orange. Slight bitterness. Maybe it's more the grapefruit. Amazingly fresh for his 16 years. Has very citrusy overtones. There's a lot of oak on the tongue. Your mouth is practically dusting. Dry. It is very dry. Spicy oak. Slightly ginger. The fruit is very reserved. The oak stands above everything. Slightly sour. But not as extreme as the 3rd release. In the finish the sour oak is very dominant, as was the case with the 3rd. Albeit much more pleasant. Still not quite my cup of tea.