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Highland
distillery Fettercairn has unveiled the
Fettercairn 200th Anniversary
Collection, a rare set of of 6 single
malt whiskies of which there are only 10
sets available worldwide.
Highland
Distillery Fettercairn has announced the
release of the Fettercairn 200th
Anniversary Collection’ to commemorate
their bicentenary, with only 10 sets
available worldwide.
The ‘Fettercairn 200th Anniversary
Collection’ includes six bottles of
Single Malt, ranging from a very rare 60
Year Old to a 3 Year Old. Together, the
full set has a combined age of 200
years. The whiskies are presented in a
stunning, custom-made, hand-crafted
Scottish Oak display cabinet, making it
a true collector’s piece.
This special collection and exquisite
cabinet celebrate Fettercairn’s two
centuries of innovative whisky making,
embodying the distillery’s ethos of
asking ‘what if’ and doing things
differently.
In 1824, Fettercairn’s founder Sir
Alexander Ramsey asked ‘what if’ illegal
distillation could be transformed into
an opportunity for jobs and commerce. He
campaigned for the licensing of Scotch
Whisky distillation and was one of the
first to apply for a license, leading to
the opening of Fettercairn distillery.
This philosophy of ‘purposeful
invention’ has continued over the past
200 years. Fettercairn’s famous copper
cooling ring was an innovation by former
distillery manager Alistair Menzies, who
asked ‘what if’ there was a way to
create a lighter spirit. To this day,
Fettercairn’s unique tropical house
style is achieved by drenching the
stills in fresh mountain water.
Looking towards the future, master
whisky maker Gregg Glass asked ‘what if’
fallen Scottish oak trees could be used
in production, resulting in the
multi-award-winning Scottish Oak
Programme. Distillery manager Stewart
Walker led the development of the
Fettercairn 200 Club, which sources 100%
local barley from within a 50-mile
radius, an industry first, in response
to asking ‘what if’ only local materials
were used.
The 200th Anniversary Collection
exemplifies Fettercairn’s curiosity
through the ages, with each of the six
bottles marking important distillery
milestones.
The Fettercairn 60 Year Old is the
oldest release from Fettercairn to date.
The year 1964 also marks the birth of
distillery manager Stewart Walker, who
embodies the ‘what if’ attitude.
The Fettercairn 49 Year Old from 1973
commemorates the building of the last
dunnage warehouse at Fettercairn, and is
said to symbolise the distillery’s
confidence and longevity during a time
of industry downsizing.
The Fettercairn 35 Year Old from 1988
marks the retirement of Douglas Cooper,
Fettercairn’s longest-serving distillery
manager, who contributed to the creation
of the copper cooling ring.
The Fettercairn 28 Year Old from 1995, a
passion project of Gregg Glass, is said
to embody his philosophy of cask
selection for creating a spirit of true
distinction. He has personally overseen
this whisky, nurturing it to achieve the
desired flavour.
The Fettercairn 25 Year Old from 1998 is
described as a balanced representation
of Fettercairn’s tropical house style,
aged in ex-cognac casks, showcasing the
potential of this style.
The Fettercairn 3 Year Old from 2021
marks the launch of the Scottish Oak
Programme, aiming to create a circular
economy using locally grown Scottish
Oak. This project included planting the
Fettercairn Forest, which will allow
future generations to enjoy whisky
matured in casks made from trees grown
near the distillery.
The beautiful cabinet housing this
collection is made from Scottish Oak,
with brass, copper, and patina touches
reflecting the distillery’s trademark
cooling ring. Each bespoke bottle rests
on an individual coaster depicting its
tasting notes.
Famed maker John Galvin has built the
ten cabinets over two years. The design
reflects the natural beauty of
Fettercairn in rural Aberdeenshire,
inspired by the tree canopy and dappled
light. Each cabinet, although unified in
design and signed by Master Whisky Maker
Gregg Glass, is unique due to the
natural wood used.
Gregg Glass, master whisky maker at
Fettercairn said: "At Fettercairn, for
Stewart, Bruce, and everyone at the
Distillery, we recognise the importance
of what came before through 200 years of
whisky making here. However, it is the
work we are doing today, that will
ensure we have 200 years to come of
fantastic whisky making. In fact in this
collection, we have hand-selected casks
to mark key moments in our past and our
future. The Fettercairn 60 year old is
incredible, and a marker of the care
that was taken here to nurture this
whisky whilst it lay resting in our
warehouse. The Fettercairn 3 year old –
Scottish Oak – is marker not only of the
cask, but a reminder too of the type of
whisky making we do here – hands-on as
makers from acorn, to cask, to glass.
This collection captures the spirit of
all of us at Fettercairn – and that is
why we are particularly proud of it."
Stewart Walker, distillery manager at
Fettercairn added: "At Fettercairn, we
are constantly curious, looking for new
or different ways to make things work.
That has always been the way and that
attitude has very naturally been passed
down over the years. We see imagination
as possibility and something to nurture
and I believe that shines through in our
whisky.
"To lead Fettercairn into their 200th
year feels like a rare gift and a
privilege. The Fettercairn 200th
Anniversary Collection has been a joy to
create alongside Gregg and my wider
team. I have loved going through our
treasure trove of casks to find just the
right whiskies to mark this momentous
occasion and reliving the stories that
come with each special bottle."
Just ten sets of The Fettercairn 200th
Anniversary Collection will be available
from September 2024 and as I am sure you
can guess you will need a deep pocket if
you you want to get your hands on such a
rare set, it will have a price tag of
£100,000. The sets will be available in
select key locations around the world,
including Taiwan, Singapore, UK, France
and Canada.
If your whisky budget doesn't stretch to
£100,000 not to worry Fettercairn offers
some outstanding whiskies in their core
range which you will find available from specialist online whisky
shops such as
The Whisky Exchange
and
Master of Malt
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