Fettercairn 12 Year Pedro Ximénez Sherry Cask Edition

Nose: Very malty, grapes, plums, vanilla, caramel, milk chocolate and an oaky presence that adds a comforting foundation. Adding a dash of water killed the nose stone dead. Palate: The arrival is sweet and all on malted milk, vanilla extract and ripe stonefruits. Berries come forward as it develops together with caramel toffee sweetness and just a touch of mild cinnamon spice. The texture is OK but it veers towards a light wateriness. Adding water makes it absurdly mild in profile and it becomes as drinkable as a soft drink. Finish: Short. The toffee and berries from the palate fade away quickly leaving a little citric bitterness and tannin in the aftertaste. Water removes the bitter note entirely. The nose is welcoming and presents cosy aromas that are hard to resist, however this whisky is almost too accommodating and easy to approach. What I mean is that it’s more like the nose of a good blended scotch than that of a single malt. The palate is likewise very friendly but I thought it was let down a little by the base-level proof and short finish. I’ve not had a lot of experience with Fettercairn and the older expressions I have tried were all average at best. This is the first of their more recent range and I’m favourably impressed, however adding water makes it lose all character and become very much a “generic” dram. Then again, it teams spectacularly well with ice and Coke as a long drink (but is that praise?). It’s a better than average, workmanlike sherry-and-malt experience that you could criticize on several points, however I found myself enjoying it a lot. It’s a highly drinkable session whisky that you could pour for anyone but whether it is worth buying would depend entirely on the price. I bought it on special at Sydney airport duty free and at AUD$80 for a 1 litre bottle (down from $120) it was very good value and a better choice than any of the blended scotches they had available. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

Nose: Toasted oak, vanilla, grist, malt, caramel. Wisps of orchard fruit and berries with honey. Palate: Rich, berries and black cherries. Plum jam, jelly sweets, honey and maple syrup. Oak, vanilla, Demerara sugar and baking spices (allspice and cinnamon). Finish: Short finish. Sweetens further on the finish, more of the berries & cream and Campino sweets. A fair bit of sweet spice and cinnamon, and waves of grapefruit souring on the aftertaste. This is an absolute sherry bomb! Very sweet, vanilla, and berries/forest fruit all the way through. It still manages to retain much of the lightness of spirit Fettercairn is known for, and some structure and spice you’d expect from the ex-bourbon barrel maturation before the finish in the PX casks. There’s a lovely mouthfeel for such a light spirit, and surprising given that it comes in at just 40% ABV. I can’t help thinking it would be improved with a slightly higher ABV, but that’s a minor quibble. Overall, a light fruity, sweet and spicy quaffable dram. c£40 for a 1L bottle on sale at Duty Free, although normally around the £80 mark.

Vanilla and caramel on the nose. Light mouth feel with subtle fruit sweetness.