Fettercairn 12 Year Pedro Ximénez Sherry Cask Edition

Vanilla and caramel on the nose. Light mouth feel with subtle fruit sweetness.

Nose: Toasted oak, vanilla, grist, malt, caramel. Wisps of orchard fruit and berries with honey. Palate: Rich, berries and black cherries. Plum jam, jelly sweets, honey and maple syrup. Oak, vanilla, Demerara sugar and baking spices (allspice and cinnamon). Finish: Short finish. Sweetens further on the finish, more of the berries & cream and Campino sweets. A fair bit of sweet spice and cinnamon, and waves of grapefruit souring on the aftertaste. This is an absolute sherry bomb! Very sweet, vanilla, and berries/forest fruit all the way through. It still manages to retain much of the lightness of spirit Fettercairn is known for, and some structure and spice you’d expect from the ex-bourbon barrel maturation before the finish in the PX casks. There’s a lovely mouthfeel for such a light spirit, and surprising given that it comes in at just 40% ABV. I can’t help thinking it would be improved with a slightly higher ABV, but that’s a minor quibble. Overall, a light fruity, sweet and spicy quaffable dram. c£40 for a 1L bottle on sale at Duty Free, although normally around the £80 mark.