Fettercairn 10 // Bunnahabhain 16 // Glenrothes 12 (The Whisky Baron)

The Whisky Baron is a young independent bottler based in Surrey (south of London). They started in 2019 and I was able to try three expressions from the Founder’s Collection.

They have a special app that allows you to bring the label to life using augmented reality. You can get a small preview here.

 

 

Fettercairn 10 yo 2008
(48%, The Whisky Baron 2019, bourbon barrel #4622, 270 btl.)

Nose: a nice sweet and sour profile. Peach yoghurt, green apple and gooseberries, unripe yellow plums. Super fresh. Hints of cake. A little floral honey. Lime. Just a little fudge after a while. Young but very pleasant.

Mouth: same thoughts. Young but really nice and summery. It starts floral and fruity again (juicy pear, lime, even a hint of pineapple) and then picks up barley sugars, popcorn and mocha notes. Custard too.

Finish: medium, with light almonds and citrus.

Young but in a very vibrant, attractive way. Pleasantly faultless. Available from The Whisky Baron direct or Master of Malt.

Score: 85/100

 

 

 

Bunnahabhain 16 yo 2002 (51%, The Whisky Baron 2019, bourbon hogshead #3186, 258 btl.)

Nose: nice and friendly, with a lot of sweet custard notes and orchard fruit. Pears, honey and a hint of yellow plums. Vanilla sponge cake. Hints of brioche. Over time it develops an increasingly fragrant / floral side.

Mouth: a similar easy fruitiness (pears and peaches) with vanilla and still a lot of floral notes now. A big malty core, with a lightly mineral (chalky) touch. Macadamia nuts. A little coconut. White pepper.

Finish: medium long, quite sweet, with cake, apricots and oak spice.

Really good, with a fresh and floral character, perhaps a little younger than the age suggested. Around € 175, only from The Whisky Baron direct as far as I can tell.

Score: 86/100

 

 

Glenrothes 12 yo 2006 (57%, The Whisky Baron 2019, first-fill sherry butt #6147, 670 btl.)

Nose: truckloads of caramel, Mars bars and sticky toffee pudding. Muesli. Roasted nuts. Hints of moist tobacco and chocolate as well. Underneath there is a layer of stewed fruits.

Mouth: chocolate cake with butterscotch and gingerbread. Prunes. Clove and cinnamon. Brownies. Light meaty hints as well. Dark autumnal sherry.

Finish: quite long, on brown sugar, baking spice, caramel and dry leafy notes.

A bit too much on the caramel for me, but if you’re looking for a liquid dessert, this might be your thing. Available from Master of Malt or Whisky Baron direct.

Score: 82/100