Fettercairn

Introduction:

A Spectacular Location for Scottish Single Malt Whisky

Located between the foothills of the Grampian Mountains in the Eastern Highlands, Fettercairn Distillery enjoys a breathtaking view down the glen. It offers a diverse range of official bottlings, including Single Malts aged 10, 12, 13, 14, 25, and 34 years. While independent bottlings are sporadic, Douglas Laing & Company has recently released some. Fettercairn is also a significant component in the Whyte and Mackay Blends, which owned the distillery until 2007.

Production:

Situated near one of Scotland’s highest mountain ranges, Fettercairn benefits from access to pristine water accumulated from rainfall and snow melt in the springs and lochs of the mountains. This ideal location allows the distillery to produce their whisky year-round. With a current production capacity of 1.6 million litres of pure alcohol per year, Fettercairn utilizes four pear-shaped pot stills for distillation. The wash stills and spirit stills each have a capacity of 12,800 litres. To cool the spirit stills, a unique process involves running cold water down their exteriors.

Maltings:

Until 1960, Fettercairn used its own floor maltings, but like many other distilleries, it switched to sourcing malt from an industrial site. Unpeated malt is used for their Edradour Whisky, while their peated range, known as Ballechin, exclusively utilizes malt dried over peat fire with a peat content of at least 50 parts per million.

Warehouse:

Fettercairn boasts fourteen dunnage warehouses on its premises, capable of storing 32,000 casks of Single Malt. The aging process incorporates a mixture of Sherry and American oak casks, with Sherry and Port casks being the prominent choices.

History:

Founded in 1824 by Sir Alexander Ramsay, Fettercairn is one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland. Initially named Nethermill, the distillery started operating in a converted mill building. After a fire in 1887 that resulted in a complete refurbishment, Fettercairn remained active until its closure in 1926. It was then acquired by Associated Scottish Distillers Ltd in 1939, and production resumed. The distillery experienced a boom in the 1960s, increasing its stills from two to four. Throughout the years, Fettercairn changed ownership several times, eventually falling under Whyte & MacKay. In recent times, the distillery introduced a luxurious range of 24, 30, and 40-year-old bottlings.

Visitor Centre:

Opened in 1989, Fettercairn’s visitor centre provides an opportunity for visitors to tour the distillery and explore its rich history.

Visitor information:

Fettercairn Distillery
Distillery Road
Fettercairn
Laurencekirk
AB30 1YB
Tel: +44 (0)1561-340205