Fettercairn has unveiled a 46 Year Old single malt Scotch Whisky. The new expression from the Whyte & Mackay-owned distillery picked up a double gold at the 2020 International Spirits Challenge.
Distilled back in 1973, the Fettercairn 46 Year Old first matured in American white oak, ex-bourbon barrels for over 40 years, before spending four years finishing in 40 year old Tawny Port Pipes. According to the distillery, “this creative maturation gave the classic tropical character a greater depth of sweetness, marrying perfectly with the distinctive flavours created from the unique cooling ring, which defines Fettercairn’s pure spirit.”
Bottled at 42.5% ABV, Fettercairn 46 Year Old’s nose features over-ripe bananas, toasted bread, citrus fruit and plum, giving way to raisin, bitter chocolate, fig and spice. The palate is defined by spiced pear, coffee, caramelised orange and liquorice; leading to black cherries and treacle with a finish of plum, demerara sugar and chocolate.
“This is a truly scarce and special single malt; a celebration of the years of passion and commitment which are inherent to the way Fettercairn Distillery has always been,” said Kirsteen Beeston, Head of International Malts at Whyte and Mackay, in a prepared statement. “We recognise that having such incredible treasures in our warehouses means we need to ensure we always respect when and how we bring these amazing aged whiskies to single malt drinkers, and this is something we will always honour.
“With a firm commitment to exceptional ageing quality, Fettercairn Distillery has consistently demonstrated an unwavering ability to mature and nurture spirit to such high quality and impressive ages. We’re delighted this release has been recognised with the Double Gold award at ISC 2020 – it is testament to how truly exquisite this bottling is.”
Only 55 bottles of the rare Whisky are set to be released and will be available from specialty retailers across the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia for £8,500 ($10,993 USD).
Back in August, Fettercairn added 22 Year Old single malt Scotch Whisky to its core range. In June, the Highland distillery launched a 16 Year Old single malt.