Fettercairn 28 Year; Cadenhead’s “Small Batch Collection”
Whisky : Fettercairn 28 Year; Cadenhead’s “Small Batch Collection”
Country/Region : Scotland/Highlands
ABV : 55.4%
Cask : Ex-Bourbon Hogshead
Age : 28 Years (Distilled 1988, Bottled 1 March 2017)
Nose : Earthy with sweet verdant florals at the beginning. Malty wholewheat toast and lemon citrus give way to milk chocolate Kit-Kat bars and Turtle candies. Chocolate, honey roasted peanuts, almond skins, and an antique wood cabinet full of dusty old books give a lot of interesting complexity to the nose.
Palate : Lovely oily body with an astringency that builds over time. Mineral oil, citrus, and the licorice quality of celery root or star anise. Roasted nutty sweetness, green papaya, burnt old tobacco, and old stale nuts. A bit of tea and creamy vanilla come near the end.
Finish : Lingering dry sweet cinnamon spice tea and honey.
Score : 5
Mental Image : Old Nuts in a Dive Bar
Something Better : Ledaig 13Y SMWS 42.45 (similar salty nuts/oil/citrus, less licorice/wood)
Something Similar : Auchentoshan 18Y SMWS 5.70 (similar antiques/chocolate, more berries/fruit)
Something Worse : Okayama Single Malt (similar antique/old wood, more rubber, less finish)
Notes : This was a really interesting blend of earth, spice, and nuts. The nose had such a strong chocolate and malt character that I could almost hear the crunch of a Kit-Kat bar. It was a weird experience and I was glad the wife found similar notes or I would have thought I was losing my mind. The chocolate and nut notes on the nose did not match as well with the antique wood and sometimes the aroma felt oddly muddled. The palate was even more all over the place, the wife described it as ‘rancid almonds.’ I really enjoyed it the first time I had it, but subsequent tastings were never quite as good. Fettercairn was a weird funk to it and I think it is just a matter of time before I find one that I really really love.
