Fettercairn has a new travel retail expression: Fettercairn 12 Years PX Cask Edition which is basically their standard 12 Year Old finished for around 6 months in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
Recently they also added a 16 and 23 years old expression to their travel retail range.
Fettercairn 12 yo ‘Pedro Ximénez Sherry Cask Edition’ (40%, OB 2019, travel retail, 100 cl)
Fettercairn 12 yo ‘Pedro Ximénez Sherry Cask Edition’ (40%, OB 2019, travel retail, 100 cl)Nose: this one has a weird fragrant side to it. Rosehip syrup with hints of potpourri. Raisins and plums. Then moist wood and very yeasty notes, as well as szechuan pepper and cinnamon.
Mouth: quite soft (unsurprisingly), with a similar mix of yeasty porridge, woody notes and synthetic fruitiness. Dried mango and orange. Muesli with honey. Wildflowers, bitter herbs, wet cardboard and hints of glue. A weird development and quite sharp (pepper, allspice).
Finish: not too long, with a gingery sharpness and a perfumed edge.
This reminds me of the first experiments with wood finishing in the 1990s. You know, the early days of wine casks and Port casks that were quite novel back then and couldn’t find a balance right away. I think the regular 12, without make-up, is much better, and the ex-bourbon 16 and 23 will probably be more natural as well.
Score: 70/100