Berlin, September 2025 - Fettercairn Distillery presents the new Vanguard Series: the first release in the series is an extraordinary range of whiskies. Inspired by Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass' unique, synaesthetic tasting notes and his ability to "taste in colors", the Vanguard Series explores how we experience taste with all our senses. The three-year series kicks off with two premieres: a rare 29-year-old whisky "Vanguard Rare" and an unaged bottling "Vanguard - The Collectible".
Nestled in the foothills of the Cairngorms, where mountain waters flow through forests and fields, the 200+ year old distillery has created a range that redefines the possibilities of flavor-driven whisky making. To underline this connection, Fettercairn has teamed up with Barry Burns of the world-renowned rock band Mogwai and multi-award-winning singer-songwriter Kathryn Joseph. Together they have created a unique piece of music for the first time entitled "Lorica", inspired by the tasting notes of Gregg Glass.
Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass explains: "Developing a whisky is always a new experience. I take in sensory impressions by combining taste with colors and textures to capture the character of the whisky. I record these impressions in my tasting notes, which show how the colors change as the taste develops. During the development of Vanguard, I have also listened to a wide range of music that has strongly influenced my taste impressions. The Vanguard Series explores these possibilities within the whisky world. We wanted to find the perfect way to create layers of flavors - through the choice of casks, their composition, their character and the way they evolve our house style in new and exciting ways. This series is an expression of our commitment to flavor-driven whisky making and innovative boundlessness."
Musician Barry Burns adds: "The opportunity to work with Gregg and the Fettercairn team felt like a true collaboration. Kathryn and I have known each other for years from touring together, but this was a fantastic opportunity to create a unique piece of music together. We had great fun being inspired by the colors and shapes of Gregg's tasting notes - and at the same time understanding what music influenced him in creating this whisky we got to taste."
Singer-songwriter Kathryn Joseph added: "I loved working with Barry on this. He's the best and I'm very lucky. Meeting Gregg and seeing how passionate he is about his work was wonderful. I love whisky now! Thank you, Fettercairn. Everything immediately fell into place naturally - how Gregg sees and hears the colors of the flavors, the striking images of the stills and how Barry was able to transform all of this into perfect beauty."
Two premieres that redefine creative boundaries
Whisky expert Andrew Lennie on the Vanguard range: "The Vanguard range is all about how we experience taste with all our senses. These first two bottlings are unmistakably Fettercairn, but they push our house style in completely new directions and provide an intriguing glimpse of the future. Every step of the process was designed to push flavor boundaries - from the research work with the University of Bordeaux, to the hand-picked barrels, to deciding on the perfect bottling age. Our senses are interconnected, especially when we experience flavors that evoke intense aromas, textures and even colors. Barry and Kathryn have created a moving piece of music that we absolutely love."
Vanguard 29 Year Old
This extremely rare bottling comprises just 99 bottles worldwide - only four bottles are available for the German market. The whisky began its journey on December 11, 1995, spent 25 years in a refill bourbon hogshead and then matured in an exceptionally rare French pink oak cask from the Bordeaux cooperage Demptos. This "Essencia Barrel", also known as "Pink Oak", is rich in carotenoids, which lend elegant fruit and floral notes as well as pronounced strawberry aromas - a perfect match for Fettercairn's tropical house style.
Alcohol content: 48.3% vol. (2,999 euros RRP per bottle)
Vanguard
An exclusive small-batch bottling based on Fettercairn's research into the use of Scottish oak in innovative hybrid casks. The whisky was initially matured in ex-bourbon casks for 14 years from February 28, 2008, before being matured in special hybrid casks. These 200-liter casks were produced in collaboration with the Speyside Cooperage and consist of American oak staves and heavily burnt Scottish oak staves. The result: a harmonious interplay of Fettercairn's tropical house style, with exotic fruit richness from grilled pineapple to dried apricot and subtle spicy wood notes.
Alcohol content: 46.3% vol. (99,- Euro RRP per bottle)
Fettercairn Vanguard The Collectible Edition is now available in selected specialist stores and online. Please contact the German distributor directly if you wish to purchase Fettercairn Rare - 29 Year old. Fettercairn single malt whisky is marketed and distributed in Germany by Mack & Schühle AG, Neue Straße 45, 73277 Owen (Teck). Further information can be found at www.mus.de.