Whiskies have the potential to excite, to interest and to surprise. However, one thing that never surprises me about whisky is the lovely people that you get chance to meet through drinking it. After chatting to @WhiskyRepublic about ale, I found out about the intriguing Harviestoun Brewery and their interesting range of whisky barrel matured ale. This led me to find a shop to buy these delights from, which led me to the door of Independent Spirit in Bath, to meet the lovely and very knowledgable Chris.
Whilst there, he generously led me to try a small dram of their own bottled whisky. I was only able to try a very small amount, so it seemed only polite to buy a bottle, so that I could have more time with it at home. This is a review of that very bottle.
Fettercairn is distillery owned by Whyte and Mackay, which sits in the Grampian Foothills in Aberdeenshire. This makes it a Highland Whisky. One of the symbols of the distillery is a unicorn, which makes them a very popular distillery in Asia due to the perceived lucky connotations of this mythical animal. As a result, lots of its product is shipped away from the UK.
Price: £40-50
Aroma: Here there is a very unusual nose, which draws me to the cinema, full of creamy, buttery, sweet toffee popcorn.
Taste: Oddly, for a cask strength whisky, the first notes are really smooth and light. The initial flavours that this dram begins with can only be described by the sweetness and fruit of sherbert. There is a zingy, sweetness that draws the mind back to childhood and sweets snuck into the pocket on the way home from school.
Then there is a distinct change, as in the middle there is a spice of ginger, which brings heat and power to the dram. This section of the whisky is big, powerful and unctuous. Here there are more flavours of childhood, as there is a sweetness of cherry drops, which is fruity, but oddly artificial n the way that only sweets can be. This is joined by a round, buttery flavour of toffee. Again, these notes draw the mind to fun times.
Lastly, as the dram drifts away the strength of the whisky sits on the lips and the edges of the mouth are left numb and tingly. This numbness is created by the fire of ainiseed. There is also a wide sherried note, that is round and robust. Finally as the dram leaves, I was left with a green bark note.
Mouthfeel: Strong, Spicy, yet full of fun flavours that bring joy.
Overall: I have to say that I expected to not enjoy this dram. I have tried both Fior and Fasque and was so underwhelmed that I had almost totally given up on the idea of enjoying anything produced by Fettercairn. However, this is a fun packed dram, full of enjoyable, childish flavours, which are matched by power and spicing. I would encourage all my readers in the South West to both make a trip to Independent Spirit and to pick up a bottle.
Real Dram Factor: 8.3
Source: Bottle purchased from Independent Spirit
More Information: Fettercairn Distillery on Whisky.com
Buy Online: Speak to the chaps @indiespiritbath (Tell them that we sent you)