Fettercairn Highland Whisky Distillery
Between Aberdeen and Dundee lies the village of Laurencekirk where Fettercairn is located. This area used to be fertile ground for distilleries however they have faded over the last half century. Sir Alexander Ramsey founded ‘Old Fettercairn’ in 1824 and was one of the 1st distilleries to go legal. Six years later the distillery was bought by Sir John Gladstone and it remained in his family until 1926 when Fettercairn fell silent until the National Distillers of America re-opened it in 1939. Whyte & Mackay now own the distillery and the whisky produced here mainly goes into Whyte & Mackay blends.
This is not just another whisky distillery however it has some unique practices when producing whisky. The most strange is it has no local water supply and transports water from Scotland’s Cairngorm mountain range. This is very unusual especially as the distance is over 50 kilometres. Another unique method is that water runs down the outside of the neck of the still to increase the pace at which alcohol vapours produce the spirit. The water is then recycled.
Critics have not been kind to Fettercairn single malt whisky and Whyte & Mackay have been of late trying to improve the image of Fettercairn.
Taste: The new ‘Fettercairn Foir’ is sweet single malt whisky with chocolate, truffle, sherry and marzipan, adding water brings out its more fruity side.
