In the Zodiac Series, the Brühl whisky house has released a Fettercairn bottled by Signatory in the Un-Chillfiltered Collection - Cask Strength, which was matured in a hogshead for 26 years. That's a decent age and, as always with the bottlings of the Brühl whisky house, the bottles were quickly sold out. The color is rich, dark gold. Let's see if the lion still has strength and vigor after the years.

The whisky is strong, the alcohol is heavy and there is oak spice. So the lion is actually roaring... In the taste there are light fruits, which are not sweet, but rather fermented, ripe and have tart skins. And there's plenty of pure, warm vanilla, a classic hogshead aging with lovely flavors and spicy wood with some bitterness. This is not a soft, sweet whisky, it has power and bite, under the oak spice with cinnamon bark but also sweet and sour moments with thickened fruit juice. A quite complex flavor profile.

The finish is dry on the palate with tart, spicy wood and a nice finish for a strong whisky.

No, this isn't a tender kitten that wants to be cuddled and purred - it's a full-grown lion that stands its ground and is stubborn. You have to be careful, then he fascinates. A hogshead whisky with edgy flavors that opens up more on the nose than in the mouth where it is dry and spicy. A mature hogshead whisky of good age. Really good and without all the sweet finish fuss of other whiskys!