Ardbeg Uigeadail 2016 Review

“The Ardbeg Uigeadail Reviews”

History:

At the start of 2014 I had the opportunity to review the Ardbeg Uigeadail bottled in 2012. I loved this Single Malt and it still occupies the # 1 spot in my All-Time Whisky List. Early 2018 I received a small sample of the same Whisky, bottled in 2017. I did a quick and dirty tasting session due to the very small size of the sample but it became clear that it differed substantially when compared to the 2012 expression. When I was in The Netherlands last year I received a generous sample of the 2016 Bottling from my brother in law Jan Bronkhorst with the request to do a full review on this expression in order to better compare it with the 2012 bottling. That's exactly what I'm gonna do today. Cheers and thanks for the sample Jan!

Ardbeg Uigeadail 2012 Review (Reviewed on January 1, 2014)

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Ardbeg Uigeadail (Bottled 2012)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 54.2 %

Colour: Amber

Nose: Give the Uigeadail sufficient time in the glass. At first I get loads of Earthy Juicy Peat accompanied by Smoked Meat, Bacon, Fish-Oil, Tar, Leather, Rum-Soaked Fruit Cake, Pepper and Salt. But be patient because this Ardbeg has more to offer. After a while I find Raisins, Espresso, Chocolate/Cocoa, Toffee, Caramel, Brown Sugar, a little Sherry, Malt and Cigar Ashes. The ABV is a bit too high perhaps and the Alcohol is not completely integrated. But other than that the Uigeadail is nicely balanced and comfortable on the Nose.

Palate: Juicy Peat, Creamy Barley, BBQ Smoke, Tar, Leather, Oak, Sweet Dark Fruits, Honey, Bacon, light Medicinal tones, Pepper, Cinnamon, Lemon, Sherry and a hint of Chocolate. This is Ardbeg at its best!

Finish: Very Long, Sweet at first but Dry later on. Juicy Peat, Earth, Caramel, Sweet Barley, Brown Sugar, Espresso, light Licorice, Cigar Ashes, White Pepper, BBQ Smoke and Toast with a nice slice of Bacon.

With a bit of Water the Nose gets more Honey and Dark Fruits (Prunes). Honey and Sweet Peat are reinforced on the palate but the Finish becomes shorter and not quite that expressive. Better sip the Uigeadail neat!

Rating: 92.5

Nose: 23 - Taste: 23.5 - Finish: 23 - Overall: 23

General Remarks: The Ardbeg (Little Height in Gaelic) Distillery is located on the South Coast of the Isle of Islay. The Distillery was founded in 1794 and commercial production started in 1815. It was closed between 1981 and 1989 after which it produced on a low scale until 1997 when it was bought by Glenmorangie Plc, part of the French LVMH Group. The Uigeadail takes it name from the loch that provides the Distillery with the peated Water. Uigeadail means Dark and Mysterious Place in Gaelic. It matures in a mix of Ex-Bourbon Casks and Ex-Sherry Butts and is married before bottling.The whisky is not Chill-Filtered and (in this case) bottled at Cask Strength in November 2012. It costs around 90 US Dollars, an excellent Price/Quality ratio.

Drinking Experience Neat: Very Good/Excellent

Conclusion: Ardbeg is certainly one of my favourite distilleries. Both the 10 Years and the Supernova 2010 are charted high in my Top 20 so far. But the Uigeadail seems to take the best of those two whiskies and add even more complexity and balance. Coastal, Floral and Fruity tones are in near perfect harmony. And despite its complexity it remains utterly drinkable as well! This could have scored even higher if the Uigeadail had been bottled at a slightly lower ABV. I think that anything between 46 and 50% would have been sufficient. Of course you can add a little Water but I'm not a great fan of that. Because in doing so you might make it easier to appreciate the Uigeadail but at the same time you alter the Spirit. I prefer to judge the whisky the way it is presented by the makers. But all in all this is a great Single Malt and it goes right to the # 1 spot in the Complete Ranking so far. What a great way to start 2014!

Ardbeg Uigeadail 2017

In the beginning of 2018 I had the chance to taste a dram of an Uigeadail that was bottled in 2017. For sure this expression has changed. It's less complex and shows more Peat and Spices. The Finish is a lot shorter than it was before. It's still a nice Whisky but the magic is gone. I would assume that the lack of good Bourbon and Sherry casks has hit the Uigeadail as well. Based on the sample I would rate the 2017 expression as follows:

Rating: 86.5

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 22 =================================================

“The Magic Has Gone”

Whisky Review # 861

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay
Brand: Ardbeg Uigeadail (Bottled in 2016)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 54.2%
Maturation: A mix of Ex-Bourbon and Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Sample provide by: Jan from the Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Price Range: US$ 80-100 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: Okay
Buying Advice: 👍It's not what it used to be but still a good peated Malt.

Colour: Medium Amber (Natural Colour)  - It's Lighter in Colour than the 2012

Nose:

Lots of Peat, Smoke and (Burnt) BBQ notes. Some Sweet, some Sour. I feel that the Sherry cask influence has diminished. It's not bad for sure but it lost balance and complexity when compared to the 2012.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Peat (Dirty Earth), Cold Campfire Smoke, Burnt Grass, Tar, Ashes, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ, Lemon, Pepper, Tobacco and Leather.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Brown Sugar, Toffee, Cooked Vegetables, Raspberry, Blueberry, Rum Soaked Raisins, Dark Chocolate, Herbal Tea, Black Espresso, Menthol and Old Cheese.

Palate:

Bitter Sweet, slightly Young and a little Rough. Still, it's my favorite part of this Uigeadail. Again quite a lot of Peat/Smoke, BBQ and Dark Fruits. It's a little Mineral and Medicinal as well.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Dirty Peat, Cold Campfire Smoke, Tar, Ashes, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ with a sprinkle of Lemon, Dark Cocoa, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Leather, Licorice, Menthol and Dark Espresso.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Brown Sugar, Honey, Vanilla, Wet Stones, Burnt Newspaper, Raspberry, Blueberry, Rum Soaked Raisins, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Forrest Floor, Oak and Cinnamon.

Finish:

Quite Long. Bitter-Sweet and Medium-Dry. It feels a little Young and Harsh and I wonder if some Fresh Oak was introduced to the maturation process. I find Sweet Barley, Burnt Toast, Dirty Peat, Cold Smoke, Tar, Ashes, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Oak, Dark Chocolate, Bitter Espresso, Pepper, Menthol, Herbal Tea, Lemon, Leather, Tobacco and Licorice.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and although you loose a bit of the Harshness, it gets too diluted in my opinion. You can add a few drops but don't overdo it!

Rating: 86

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Uigeadail is still a nice peated Whisky but, as I wrote in my 2018 update, the magic has gone. The main reason must be the lack of good Sherry Wood. I  suspect that some Virgin Oak was used in the 2016 expression. As a result, the 2016 shows a lot of Peat, BBQ, Spices and Dark Fruit but it misses complexity and balance when compared to the great 2012 expression. Its relative Youth becomes also more clear in a few harsh notes. I still wouldn't say no if someone offered me a dram of the Uigeadail but I wouldn't go running after a full bottle anymore. Another dream is over unfortunately. We must face today's distorted Whisky market I'm afraid. Let's hope the good old days will return some day!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende
                                                                                         February 17, 2020

AnCnoc 12 Years Review - AnCnoc 18 Years Review - AnCnoc Peatheart Review

“AnCnoc Three Times”

Whisky Review # 857

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 30-40 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay, especially if you can get it at around US$ 30.
Buying Advice: 👎It's not bad but at 40% it's way too Thin. Not recommended 

Colour: Yellow Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light, Fruity, Floral, Sweet, Sour, a little Thin and slightly Dusty. There is some Alcohol as well so please give this AnCnoc sufficient time in the glass and nose along the brim of your glass. The Nose is a bit underwhelming.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Grass & Straw, Yeast, Wax, Green Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Honey, Floral Soap, Nuts, Apricot-filled Puff Pastry, Wet Stones, Dirty Track, Wet Newspaper, Metal, Unripe Banana dusted w/ Nutmeg, Pineapple and Mandarin.

Palate:

Light, Thin, Bitter-Sweet, Dry, Sour & Salty. The ABV of 40% is definitively too low in this case. The Aromas and Flavours are there somewhere but they are not presented in the correct way.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Grass and Straw, Yeast, Green Apple, Grapefruit, Lemon, Gooseberry, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Licorice, Tobacco and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Salted Caramel, Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Smoke, Mixed Nuts/Dried Fruit, Clove, Dusty Refill Oak, Cocoa Powder, Dried Herbs, Floral Soap and Mandarin.

Finish:

Short, Bitter-Sweet, Sour, Salty, Watery & slightly Hot. The Bitterness increases towards the Dry end. The Alcohol is quite present. I find Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Floral Perfume, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Seville Orange, Honey, Nuts, Green Apple, Pear, Dried Herbs, Leather, Tobacco,  Pepper, Cinnamon, Dusty Oak, Licorice and a faint whiff of Smoke.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 82

Nose: 21- Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

The Knockdhu distillery was founded in 1893 by DCL in the little village of Knock very close to Huntly (Aberdeenshire). It was mothballed in 1983 but reopened in 1989. Until 1993 the whisky was called Knockdhu but the owners decided to rename it to AnCnoc to avoid any possible confusion with the whisky produced at Knockando, a Diageo distillery in Speyside. The new owners are Inver House Distillers, part of Thai Beverages PLC. The beautiful distillery currently produces 1.7 million litres of Alcohol per year. The core range includes the 12, 18, 24 & 35 years and the Peatheart.

The 12 Years was re-introduced in 2003. It usually gets very reasonable or even good critics but I beg to differ here. It's not a bad Single Malt and the Aromas and Flavours are there somewhere below the surface. But the low ABV does not succeed to transport same towards Nose and Palate. It's way too Thin this way and that's a pity. The Price/Quality ratio is okay I suppose but I wouldn't buy a full bottle of the the 12 Years anyway due to the lack of body.

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Whisky Review # 858

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Mix of 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks and 2nd Fill Ex-Oloroso Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 80-100 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍Okay/Good. An 18 Years can't be cheap these days!
Buying Advice: 👍 Interesting Sherried Highland Malt with character.

Colour: Dark Amber with shades of Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Quite Sweet with lots of Sherry cask influence in the form of Dried Fruit & Nuts. There are a few Sour and Bitter notes as well that provide some balance. The Alcohol is noticeable so please nose around the edges of your glass where you will pick up a nice Peach note.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Honey, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Plums, Toasted Nuts, Toasted Pineapple sprinkled with Cinnamon, Orange, Peach, Sugar, Chocolate, Cardamom, Ginger and Nutmeg.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Butterscotch, Mango, Banana, Apple, Pear, Gooseberry, Polished Leather, Glue, Tobacco, Dusty Track, Old Newspapers, Mint, Aniseed, Licorice, Herbal Tea and Musty Oak.

Palate:

The Sherry influence is quite clear again. A touch of Rubber perhaps but nothing too serious. Sugar, Dried Fruit, Nuts and Spices are in the lead. The Palate does feel a little Thin for an 18 Years old. Quite Dry as well. A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Honey, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins and Dates, Apple, Pear, Straw, Orange, Lemon, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Clove, Ginger and Nutmeg.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Salted Caramel, Butterscotch, Brown Sugar, Peach, Gooseberry, Musty Oak, Espresso, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Licorice, Menthol and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, slightly Hot and quite Dry and a little Salty towards the end. I find Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Honey, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Dates, Peanut Butter, Toasted Nuts, Oak Char, Apple, Pear, Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Sugar, Polished Leather, Straw, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol and Licorice. A touch of Smoke & a sprinkle of Lemon.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 86

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

I liked the 18 years much better than its younger brother the 12 years. It has more balance and matured in better casks. The Sherry cask influence is quite substantial suggesting some active casks on that side. Like the 12 Years it feels a little Thin, especially on the Palate. But it does show character and presents enough interesting Aromas and Flavours to justify buying a bottle, Cheers!

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Whisky Review # 859

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc Peatheart (40 PPM) - Batch 1
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 55-65 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive when compared to Young Islay Malts.
Buying Advice: 👍Young but tasty peated Single Malt. Too expensive though.

Colour: Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and Light. The Peat and Smoke are quite similar to Young Islay but less intense. The Alcohol is there so make sure to wind your Nose around it. The Nose is Sweet and slightly Medicinal. The Fruity tones remind me of Orchard & Citrus Fruit. It's okay I guess but very young and timid.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Dough, Grass & Straw, Cold Smoke, Dirty Earth (Peat), Iodine, Band-Aid, Tar, Green Apple, Lemon, Ginger, Menthol and Tobacco.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toasted Grain, Heather-Honey, Salted Toffee, Ashes, Soot, Orange Peel, Nuts, Artificially Flavoured Candies (Pineapple, Pear), Cocoa Powder, Wet Stones and Sand, Herbal Tea and Bacon on the BBQ. A hint of Varnish.

Palate:

Young, Sweet, a bit Nervous and a little on the Thin side but certainly tasty. I feel that Knockdhu would be able to create a truly wonderful matured peated AnCnoc. I hope they will do that in the future! The Palate is quite consistent with the Nose although the Peat and Smoke tend to dominate the Fruity notes somewhat. It's still a little unbalanced but, again, shows character.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Campfire Smoke, Wet Peat, Tar, Soot, Iodine, Band-Aid, Bacon & Pork on the BBQ, Green Apple, Lemon, Orange and Grapefruit, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamon, Leather and Cocoa Powder.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Salted Toffee, Dough, Ashes, Wet Stones/Sand, Pear, Toasted Pineapple, Herbal Tea, Cinnamon, Salted Nuts, Aniseed, Licorice and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long/Long, mainly Sweet, Spicy & slightly Hot. The Sweetness becomes very Sugary after a few minutes. That's a real pity. I find Sweet Barley, slightly Burnt Toast, Vanilla, Dough, Salted Toffee, Heather-Honey, Green Apple, Pear, Lemon, Orange Peel, Grapefruit, Campfire Smoke, Wet Peat, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Cocoa Powder, Espresso, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Menthol, Licorice and Leather.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 84

Nose: 21 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Peatheart was released in 2017 and at 40 PPM it's the peatiest Whisky by Knockdhu until now. It was named after the peat bogs surrounding Knockdhu which are described as the heart of Scottish peatlands.

The Peatheart is an interesting alternative if you like Young Islay malt. It's not very competitive though when compared to the likes of Ardbeg and Laphroaig. After having reviewed and tasted these three AnCnoc expressions I found two common problems that affect them all. The first one is the price. Knockdhu is not a very well-known distillery and their prices should be a little easier despite the fact that the remote location will likely increase their production/distribution costs. The second item relates to the body of Knockdhu Whisky. All three of the reviewed Whiskies show a slightly Thin body despite the correct ABV of the 18 Years and the Peatheart. I think this is something that the distillery should look at as it compromises the mouth feel of Knockdhu Single Malts. Other than that I truly believe that the characterful Whisky of this distillery could become a very good alternative for those who get thoroughly bored by today's Mainstream Malt Madness. We visited the distillery in May last year and I can totally recommend a visit. The number of visitors is still small and you will receive all the attention you need although the Visitor Centre is still rather simple. But the beautiful lay out of the distillery and its surroundings more than make up for that!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                February 3, 2020

All Pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019

Clynelish 1993 (Silver Seal) Review

“Silver, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”

Whisky Review # 856

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Clynelish 1993
Bottled by: Silver Seal (SS) in November 2012 at Cask Strength -  Bottles: 322
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask # 7556

Age: 19 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 53.5%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Cask
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 240 (January 2020). Will be difficult to find.
Price/Quality Ratio: 😓At the moment it's very expensive. It's good though.
Buying Advice: 👍Nice Fruity Clynelish if you can spare the cash.

Colour: White Whine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Quite lively and Fruity. This Clynelish is well-matured and the Oak is a mere note in the background. I would not say that Cask 7556 was extremely active. On the Nose this Clynelish shows Sweet, Sour, Musty and a few Funky notes. I wouldn't give it 19 years in a blind Tasting. Quite Fresh!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Grass, Fresh Herbs de Provence, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Banana, Bounty Candy Bars, Wax, Asparagus, Salted Almonds, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Buttered Toast, Toffee, Vanilla, Musty Wood, Orange, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Olive Oil, Tobacco and Nail Polisher.

Palate:

Waxy, Spicy, Fruity, slightly Edgy and Bitter-Sweet. Nicely matured Highlander.

Main Flavours:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Apple, Pear, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Banana, Wax, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Straw, White Wine, Bounty Candy Bars, Ashes, White Chocolate, Tobacco, Herbal Tea, Asparagus and Coconut.        

Finish:

Middle-Long with Sweet and Sour notes. It's a little Edgy with medium Bitterness towards the end. I find Malted and Toasted Barley, Salty Caramel, Toffee, Apple, Pear, Banana, Nectarine, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Wax, White Chocolate, Tobacco, Musty Oak, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg Ashes and Mint.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this Clynelish neat.

Rating: 86.5

Nose: 22 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The distillery was founded in 1819 by the 1st Duke of Sunderland in the small town of Brora. It is owned by Diageo and the spirit is an important ingredient of various JW Blends. It produces around 4,8 million litres of Alcohol per year. Its sister-distillery Brora lies next to Clynelish and will be reopened this year after having been closed in 1983. A new Clynelish Visitor Centre is being built at the moment. The pictures were shot during our visit to Clynelish/Brora in May last year.

This Silver Seal Clynelish is a tasteful well-matured Highland Single Malt. It's a bit Edgy and Funky here and there but that's refreshing in today's mainstream Malt madness. It has character and that's what I'm looking for in a Whisky. At 19 years it can't be cheap of course and there are probably only a few bottles left world-wide. But if you have the cash and can find it somewhere you won't be disappointed. Lots of Fruit out there to be discovered with Citrus in the lead. Recommended!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                January 27, 2020

Fettercairn 12 Years Review - Fettercairn 12 Years PX Review

“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”

Whisky Review # 852

Country: Scotland
Region: Eastern Highlands

Brand: Fettercairn
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 45-55  (January 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: Borderline okay.
Buying Advice: 😒Not really bad but Unbalanced and Thin. Try a sample first!

Colour: Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

As so often, please give this Fettercairn sufficient time in the glass as it opens quite slowly. The Nose is Sweet, Buttery, Malty and slightly Meaty. A bit of Fruit as well. I find it a little on the Thin side. The Alcohol is noticeable. An okay Nose I suppose but you don't have to wake me up for it!

Main Aromas:

Toasted and Malted Sweet Barley, Butter Biscuits (Butterkekse), Vanilla, Yeast, Tutti-Frutti Candies, Charred Pineapple, Banana Ice Cream, Milk Chocolate and Citrus Peel.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Caramel, Toffee, Charred Oak, mildly Bitter Almonds, Marzipan, Forrest after a Rain Shower, Apple, Pear, Apricot or Nectarine, Caffe Latte, Sour Yogurt and Wet Paper.

Palate:

The delivery is on the Thin side. This Fettercairn really could do with a higher ABV. A Mix of Bitter, Sweet and Sour notes. Not quite my thing!

Main Flavours:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Burnt Toast, Yeast, Banana-Flavoured Yogurt, Oak Char, Charred Pineapple, Caffe Latte, Milk Chocolate, Bitter Herbs, Cinnamon, Pepper, Cloves and Menthol.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Caramel, Sour Berries, Sour Orange-Juice, Dried Fruit, Damp Wine Cellar, Almonds and Baked Apples sprinkled with Nutmeg.

Finish:

Short/Medium-Long, Thin, Malty, Yeasty, Meaty and Spicy. I find Malted/Toasted Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Charred Pineapple, Banana-Flavoured Yogurt, Bitter Herbs, Charred Oak, CaffeLatte, Milk Chocolate, Almonds, Heather-Honey, Red Apple, Dried Fruit, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger & Menthol. A bit of Floral Perfume after a while.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this Fettercairn neat. I would imagine that added Water is not required. It's Thin enough as it is.

Rating: 78

Nose: 20.5  - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 19.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay at best.

Conclusion:

The Fettercairn Distillery was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay and is located in Fettercairn, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire in the Eastern Highlands. It changed hands many times in the past but mainly belonged to Whyte & MacKay that was bought by Emperador Inc. in 2015. The two pairs of stills produce around 1,5 million litres of Alcohol per year. The core range exists of the 12, 28, 40 and 50 Years.

The new core range was launched in 2018 to put Fettercairn back on the Single malt map. As known, this Malt is mainly used for the Whyte & MacKay blends. I must admit that this 12 Year old does not do a lot for me. Lots of Barley, Yeast, Butter and Dairy. A rather unbalanced mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour & Spicy notes. A higher ABV could certainly help out and 43% should be possible without a significant price increase. I already think it's expensive for a relatively unknown Single Malt distillery. We visited Fettercairn in May 2019 and it's certainly well-worth the effort of getting there. Wonderful small and picturesque distillery. The visitor accommodations are still rather primitive but the Tour is quite nice.

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Whisky Review # 853

Country: Scotland
Region: Eastern Highlands

Brand: Fettercairn Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask Edition
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with a fairly long finish in PX Sherry casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: Around US$ 70 (January 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎Way too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 😞Negative. The Nose is okay but Palate/Finish are too Thin.

Colour: Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Rather than repeating the Aromas and Flavours already mentioned above I will simply look at the extra or different notes that come with the PX Finish. The Nose remains on the Thin side but Dark Red Fruit and Dried Fruit notes appear. The Alcohol seems better integrated although I can't really explain that. This is more mainstream than the 12 Years that has a few funky sides.

Extra Main Aromas:

Dried Fruit (Raisins, Sultanas, Apricots, Plums), Rose Water & stronger Orange Aromas.
    
Extra Supportive Aroma Accents:

Grapes, Damp Cellar, Red Berries, Cloves and Nutella.

Palate:

Is this a Single Malt Whisky? It's way too Thin and Watery for my sake. It's a bit Softer than the regular 12 years but certainly not better. There's some extra Red Fruit but it's so Thin it feels artificial. This PX Finish didn't work out very well.

Extra Main Flavours:

Damp Wood, Rose Water and Papaya.

Extra Supportive Flavour Accents:

Floral Perfume, Cherry-Flavoured Candies and Licorice.

Finish:

Short, very Thin, almost watery and Bitter-Sweet. This almost reminds me of a Watery Rose Water or watered down Floral Perfume. Hints of Milk Chocolate, Red Fruit, Damp Wood, Ginger and Licorice. Utterly forgettable!

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this Fettercairn neat. I would imagine that added Water is not required. It's Thin enough as it is.

Rating: 73

Nose: 20 - Taste: 18 - Finish: 17 - Overall: 18

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average.

Conclusion:

The 12 Years PX Finish was released in 2019 and destined for the Travel Retail sector. It's basically a standard Fettercairn Single Malt with a quite lengthy PX cask Finish. I'm not quite sure how long it was finished as sources mention as low as 6 months and as long as 2 years. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle as the PX influence is noticeable but not overly strong.

As you can read above, I don't think that this PX Finish Edition worked out well. It misses Strength and Character. A higher ABV and more active PX casks could do wonders here. As it is, I feel that this is not the way forward for this beautiful distillery. Both the 12 Years and in particular this PX Finish can't compete Aroma and Flavour wise with the Highland competition. And they are too expensive for what they offer. If you want to get away from your Blended Whisky image you have to come up with a solid, flavourful entry Malt at an acceptable price level and build your way forward from there. I wish Fettercairn all the best and hope the new owners will take this next step.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                               January 14, 2020

All Pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019