Fettercairn Distillery, located at the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains, has a rich history and a distinctive traditional setup. The distillery features an open-topped mash tun, wooden washbacks, and small stills, with soap grinders on the sides of the wash stills used historically to prevent boiling over. The distillery’s style has a firm, heavy, and nutty character, especially accentuated during the period between 1995 and 2009 when stainless steel condensers were used, adding a slightly burnt, pot ale note to the spirit. A quirky cooling ring at the top of the still’s swan neck, which sprays cold water down the sides of the still, helps to aid reflux and produces a lighter, more refined style of spirit.
Fettercairn’s single malts are aged primarily in first-fill American oak casks, with some new wood included, to add a balancing sweetness. Some older expressions are finished in fortified wine casks, further enhancing their complexity. The village of Laurencekirk, nearest to the distillery, is known for its grand red sandstone archway commemorating a visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1861, reflecting Fettercairn’s similarly grand aspirations.
Founded in 1825 by Sir Alexander Ramsay, Fettercairn was sold in 1830 to Sir John Gladstone, father of British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. The Gladstone family retained ownership but were hands-off, with tenants managing the distillery until 1923. After changing ownership several times, including a period under Ross & Coulter and later Associated Scottish Distilleries, the distillery passed into private hands in 1954. It was bought by Tom Scott Sutherland in 1954 and sold to Tomintoul-Glenlivet in 1971, before joining Whyte & Mackay.
Although Fettercairn was primarily a component in blends, it was bottled as a single malt for many years. In 2009, a more concerted effort was made to market it as a single malt, with new releases such as the Fior and Fasque expressions (named after the Fettercairn estate). In 2018, Whyte & Mackay relaunched Fettercairn with a new range of single malts, aged from 12 to 50 years old.
