Rare Sherry Cask Highland Malt, 16-Year, Under $100, US Exclusive

The wonderful First Editions line from Hunter Laing is new to our shelves, but they've been bottling these for some time. It's their range of cask strength single barrels, but offer an incredible value across the board. This rare expression, a heavily sherried Fettercairn, is unique for so many reasons. Firstly, Fettercairn rarely makes it out of the Whyte & Mackay blending apparatus and when it does it's often in very underwhelming casks. We've had it on occasion from various bottlers, but never in such a highly active sherry butt.

This one is exclusive to K&L in the US, but can be found in Europe for 40-60% more money than we're charging. The distillery bottlings are simply unbelievably expensive, so this pricing really seems special in that context. Plus, Fettercairn is just a strange distillery (check out video of their unique cooling ring in action). Let's try it! The color is a heady auburn (1.5). The nose is explosive and rich offering huge rancio -almost an armagnac like rustic dried fruit- leather, red fruit compote, exotic wood and dark cacao. It's dense and dark, but also has this really high toned spice around the edges as well. On the palate, it's middle weight plus- heavier than most Fetters- offering stewed fruit, intense exotic barks, more leather and dense baking spices. The intensity begs for a bit of water and the whisky absolutely adores a splash adding layers of more savory and sweet aromas and relenting its tannic edges on the palate adding sweet fruit and caramel.

This is easily one of the best Fettercairns I've ever had and while it might not give you a good picture of the distillery style, which is distinctly NOT a monster sherry house, it does stand up well and delivers all the power and nuance you could want in any sherry bomb.

— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

2008 Fettercairn 16 Year "The First Editions" Single Oloroso Sherry Butt #21245 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) ($99.99)

Josh Gelfand | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: January 09, 2026

We dont get to taste too much from Fettercairn on its own, as most of the liquid is used in Richard Paterson's Whyte & Mackay blends. But as David OG said, what we do get isn't always super impressive. Thankfully, we got ourselves a great one here. The sherry is certainly taking the lead on this 16 year old. The nose erupts with dark chocolate, black cherries, freshly baked cinnamon raisin bread and a little musty cave note. The palate evolves those flavors with even more dark fruits, dates and figs, orange oil and espresso grounds, which leave a robust finish of sherry tannins, maplewood, and baking spices. A generous splash of water releases some roasted pumpkin and toasted coconut, and allows even more of those rosy fruits to shine through. It's a sherry lovers scotch, for sure, but it will certainly be enjoyable for any Highland whisky fan.

K&L Notes: Fettercairn Distillery was founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay, who converted a former corn mill into one of the earliest legally licensed whisky distilleries in Scotland after the Excise Act made licensed production feasible. He recruited experienced illicit distillers as his first stillmen and sold the estate just a few years later to the Gladstone family, whose son William Gladstone later influenced whisky taxation reforms. A major fire in 1887 led to a rebuild, and the distillery passed through various owners before being acquired by Whyte & Mackay in 1973, the company that still operates it today. Over more than two centuries Fettercairn has combined tradition with innovation, including a unique cooling system for its stills that shapes its light, fruity spirit. This beautiful single sherry butt of Fettercairn is extremely rare on the open market. The distillery is unique in several ways, but most notably due to the cooling ring around the still neck which increases reflux producing a very unique spirit. Finding a single Oloroso sherry butt bottled at Cask Strength of this special eastern highland's distillery is so unusual, we've only once before been able to offer single sherry butt previously in our 40 year history. The style is extremely sherry forward with the dark chocolate, cherry and caramel sauce. Dense and full-bodied expect dark stewed fruits and a long finish of cocoa and sandalwood.