We’ll be trying the new Fettercairn 28 Year Old (€ 600), the Fettercairn 40 Year Old (€ 3500) and Fettercairn 50 Year Old (over € 11.000). In these days of polarised politics, of war against woke, or of tearing down statuesm it is often expected that one accepts only one version of the truth (one that is politically aligned with their own outlook) at the expense of rational and nuanced consideration. In the case of Gladstone both statements above can be true. Gladstone can be a friend to the whisky industry and a beneficiary of slavery.

The Service has been prepared by us solely for information purposes to Members and the Service is based on information we consider reliable and we obtain the contents of the Service from a number of different third party sources (including Contributions), but we do not endorse, support, represent, warrant or guarantee the completeness, truthfulness, accuracy, or reliability of the Services and any information therein. Set in the wilds of the untamed Eastern Highlands at the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains, Fettercairn begins life in an isolated location that’s allowed this Scotch whisky to hone its own distinctive taste and characteristics uninterrupted over time. We move over to the 40 Year Old, distilled 23rd of December 1977. It spent the final few years in a Gonzalez Byass Apostoles Palo Cortado cask #6 (which is technically not a Palo Cortado but a Medium sherry as it is sweetened with a little Pedro Ximénez). First maturation was in a mix of first fill and refill American white oak bourbon casks and then the final maturation was in 100% Scottish oak casks Fettercairn 28 year old sits in the rather unenviable position of being the 2 nd expression in the revitalised series, but at the same time asking a huge jump in price over its 12 year old sibling. There’s something missing here – an 18 or 21 year old – which would allow those enamoured by the 12 year old a reasonable stepping stone into the wider distillery range. As it stands, it’s a massive ask and one which I’m not sure many enthusiasts will be prepared to make cold.Taste: Highland toffee. Honey. Grapes. Coffee and dark chocolate. Pepper, ginger and a subtle presence of oak. The Fettercairn arch dominates the entrance to the town and was built to commemorate a visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1861. This symbol has also been used in the design and logo of Fettercairn malts. The Nobel Peace Prize is one of 5 prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer. His great fortune had been amassed from supplying weapons to wars around the globe, so the establishment and association with a prize of such worth certainly reframed our association with the name Nobel. In the mouth: Light and fruit with a heavier mid-palate like highland toffee, a gentle spiced finish with a buttery or custard-like texture. Conclusions: On the nose: Bright and fruity, juicy peach, butter toffee, sponge cake batter, apple and pear with a little grist.

First established in 1824, Fettercairn whisky was just the second legal distillery to open following the Excise Act of 1823, and it’s seen its own fair share of troubles and obstacles over the years too, namely a fire which meant that the distillery had to be rebuilt and the subsequent financial woes. Each bottling of the Fettercairn single malt displays the emblem of a Unicorn, a symbol of Scotland since the reign of King Robert III and a feature of the Ramsay coat of arms, once flown over the Fasque Estate upon which the distillery still stands and on the inn, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert spent the night more than 150 years ago. Nothing in the Terms shall exclude or limit our liability for fraudulent misrepresentation or for death or personal injury resulting from gross negligence or willful misconduct by us. Shand’s distillery was also known as Fettercairn Distillery, and the whisky was reasonably well regarded at the time. It appears the current Fettercairn Distillery was previously known as Nethermill, thus confusion was avoided initially. Certainly, Nethermill Distillery is recorded in Fettercairn in 1845 the year of William Shand’s death. 2 Frustratingly, it is also recorded as “Fettercairn Distillery, or Farm of Nethermill” in the Edinburgh Gazette of December 6 1842. Nethermill has infrequently been used as a name under which whisky from Fettercairn distillery has been released.Bottom line: Fettercairn is relaunched with a slightly quirky line-up. The 12 year-old base expression is reasonably priced and quite good. It is worth a try for its gentle fruity character. The 28 Year Old is very funky, forget about that one. Fettercairn village has a further association with Slavery and Whisky via William Shand, who started distilling in the 1820s. The exact location of this lost distillery remains unknown. Shand used his experience of making rum on his brother John’s sugar plantations in Jamaica and his own estates and is noted having “experience of managing 18,000 to 20,000 enslaved people in his time in Jamaica between 1791 and 1823.” Nose: Dusty well aged spirit, skin-on hazelnuts, polished oak, baking spices, peanut skins, nutmeg, ground ginger, slightly effervescent with fruit on the mid-palate, Lilt perhaps? Almost rum-like. More Danish-pastry and a bit of dunnage. Fettercairn Distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Ramsay, owner of the Fasque estate, who converted a corn mill at Nethermill into a distillery. After losing his fortune, Alexander was forced to sell the estate to the Gladstone family in 1829. On the nose: Glazed Danish pastry, fruit is juicy tropical punch, some dusty vanilla, demerara sugar, subtle wood spices and a hint of distinguished age.