Fettercairn 1988 29 Year Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

The nose is more robust than that of Signatory's Glentauchers 20, offering wood balanced with citrus, including orange peel, and an underlying malty richness. It also carries a slightly meaty scent. The palate begins with spice and has medium-high viscosity. It's rich, with a controlled bitterness from damp wood and a swirling richness that's hard to pinpoint at full strength. It evokes a bit of an Islay whisky, tasting unusual yet somehow good. It's not excellent, though significantly better than Signatory's Glentauchers 20. Dilution reduces the richness, making it taste more generic, akin to the Glentauchers 20 but lacking the bourbon character. There's abundant wood, but it's damp and feels like it should have been changed earlier. Lemon and pine flavors are distinct (the pine is numbing). Fresh bread is barely perceptible, with some apple and spices present. Smoke is also detected, along with a hint of turpentine. While I might eventually appreciate this style of scotch, it doesn't feel worth the effort. It's slightly superior to the Glentauchers, but with water, it becomes bland and unremarkable. It initially seemed like it could be special, but upon further tasting, it appears to be amateurishly aged – not bad, but not particularly good. The rating, without added water, places it just above the Glentauchers. With water, it's dull and lacks a defining characteristic.