Summerton Whisky Club’s February 2023 Club Bottle
Fettercairn 16 Years Old – 3rd Release: 2022
Founded in 1824 in the foothills of Scotland’s Cairngorms by Sir Alexander Ramsey, from whose clan the unicorn logo was derived, the Fettercairn distillery sits in his Fasque estate that was sold to the Gladstone family in 1829. Their most famous son was prime minister William Gladstone who was key in amending whisky taxes and introduced legislation allowing Scotch to be sold in glass bottles for the first time.
SEE WHAT OUR MEMBERS THOUGHT IN THEIR VIDEO REVIEWS
The Fettercairn stills are unique thanks to a copper irrigation ring high on the swan neck (the narrowing top of the still) that uses local mountain water to cool the copper and create a lighter style of whisky.
The barley used comes from farms within a 50 mile radius of the distillery, including from farmers who are descendants of those that would have supplied the barley when the distillery first opened.
Whilst a lot of oak is used in whisky maturation, it does not come from Scotland (Whisky Works’ King of Trees being the main exception, using two casks from windfall trees). Each species of oak has a different impact on the flavour of whisky, with the majority coming from America and France.Â
Fettercairn is at the forefront of a drive to use Scottish oak for maturation in the future, with 13,000 oak saplings planted on the estate recently, for future generations of whisky makers to use.
I have chosen to share the latest batch of their 16 year old range for you to enjoy, which has been aged in Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez and ex-Bourbon casks.
Member’s Photo Competition
This month we are going to have a little fun with our Member’s Photo Competition. Instead of a picture, I am asking you to share a video of you taking your first taste of your Club Bottle, and letting us know what you think (good or bad). To enter, share your video on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, tag us (@SummertonClub) and use #SummertonWhiskyShots.Â
CLUB BOTTLE REVIEWS
Find out what our members thought of the Fettercairn club bottle from the video reviews below