Review #257 - Cadenhead's Fettercairn 13 Year

We don't see Fettercairn on the shelf too often in our area - the distillery bottlings are scarce here, and the independently bottled versions aren't a whole lot more available. We did stumble across this 13 year old version, and considering the great reputation of Cadenhead's, we decided to give it a shot.

Cadenhead's, based in Campbeltown, claims to be Scotland's oldest indie bottler. They bottle whiskies from a vast array of distilleries with an emphasis on single malt Scotch, but they have also dabbled in blends, rums, gins, and other spirit types.

This bottle of whisky, distilled at Fettercairn in the Highland region, is unpeated; it's predominantly ex-bourbon matured whisky, although about 20% of the spirit was aged in ex-Ruby Port casks. There might be some subtle fruits hiding in those baking spices and malty vanilla flavors.

Fettercairn boasts a unique still feature - water runs down the outside of the copper on the spirit stills, which increases reflux inside the still, theoretically leading to a lighter, more refined spirit despite the squat, pear-sharped stills. Because of this method, the necks of the stills are naturally colored black.

Cadenhead's Fettercairn 13 Year

Scotland/Highlands - Single Malt

Price Paid: USD 109 (2023)

Current Locally Available Price: USD 109 (2024)

Age Statement: 13 Years

Strength: 46% ABV

Cask Makeup: 80% ex-bourbon casks, 20% ex- Ruby Port casks

Details: Not chill filtered, no color added

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 3 months; bottles at 100%, 80%, 70% (blind tasting), and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Ex-bourbon baking spices: vanilla, brown sugar, honey, lots of cinnamon, as well as a hint of sharp spirit. Light fruits start with poached pears and golden apples, then soft stone fruit like underripe white peach arrives; there are just subtle hints of dry raisins and dark chocolate, as well and oats, grain, and peppery spice.

Palate: Medium mouthfeel; soft oak and vanilla, some white pepper kick, and plenty of malt. Dry grass and pear continue the lighter flavors, and then more baking spices arrive: cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, and then baked bread. Tiny hints of figs and raisins are hidden in the background, with the softest whiff of milk chocolate.

Finish: Medium length, with a lot of cinnamon and brown sugar; poached pears is a stronger flavor, too. The focus is on baking notes, with more vanilla and bready character lingering; oak isn't too strong, but is brings a dry, peppery side.

Final Note: There is actually a nice array of flavor in this whisky, from baking spices to light fruits to subtle dark fruits, but the delivery is a bit soft; the port casks are a relatively subtle influence, their flavors lingering quietly in the background. Quite solid spirit, but this bottle is just missing that 'X factor' that would elevate it to the next level.

This bottle was a bit pricey as well, coming in over $100. That makes the purchase a little more challenging, but we're still curious to try more bottles from Cadenhead's in the future.

Our Average Rating: 6.7 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 5.60