I was hoping to write a review similar to my last one about a Glengoyne when I tried this Fettercairn, that it was fairly easy to get hold off and that it should not be overlooked. However after working my way through the bottle, I don’t hold it in as high a regard.
It’s not a complicated whisky, but I couldn’t get to grips with it really. It’s a fairly balanced whisky when you taste it, however there was a lingering taste that tended to overpower me a bit. There’s a dryness to the taste, and nuts come through during and after the sip. The aroma doesn’t promise too much, so I didn’t have exceedingly high expectations anyway when drinking it.
Things changed though when I dropped a cube or two of ice in my glass. Now some disagree with ice in their whisky, but I will do it if I feel that a neat dram needs adapting. It lightened the malt dramatically, and managed to smooth out the taste slightly. I began to taste the sweetness of the dram, and I found that I much preferred this malt with a cube or two in.
It’s not for everyone, and personally I wouldn’t recommend it neat, but a bit of ice or even a drop of water allows it to really be enjoyable in my eyes.
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