Fettercairn Distillers’ Secret No. 2: A Highland Single Malt Shaped by a Scottish Rum Cask

A cask that tasted of rum and raisins

Fettercairn Distillery in the Scottish Highlands has released the second edition of its Distillers’ Secret series, the Fettercairn Distillers’ Secret No. 2 Collaboration With Matugga Rum. The single malt is bottled at 53.4% ABV and limited to 486 bottles.

It all started with a chance find in the warehouse. Bruce Aitken, a distiller at Fettercairn who used to work as a chef, noticed that the whisky in one former red wine cask reminded him of rum and raisin fudge. He wanted to see how far that flavour could go, and looked for a partner who knows rum.

Five years in wine, five in rum

The whisky’s journey comes in four steps. The whisky from Cask No. 170 first spent five years in the former red wine cask. It was then moved into a cask that had held Matugga rum, where it rested for five more years in Warehouse No. 2. Next, the whisky from that cask was married with whisky from two first fill ex bourbon barrels. Finally, everything spent time in three ex bourbon barrels so the flavours could settle together.

Aitken says the two first fill barrels were chosen to bring out the tropical house style Fettercairn is known for. About the years in the rum cask, he says: “During that time, the whisky developed vibrant and funky tropical notes that quickly became a favourite among the distillery team.” The distillery gives no age statement.

The partner: Matugga Rum

Matugga Rum is a Scottish rum maker founded by Paul and Jacine Rutasikwa, a married couple. Its approach draws on the so called rum triad, an idea rooted in Jamaican rum making, and it brings East African culture and flavours together with Scotland’s distilling tradition.

According to Paul Rutasikwa, the rum cask was meant to deepen the red fruit and raisin notes the whisky already had, adding warmth, depth and tropical fruit. On the partnership, he says: “What began as a simple exchange of casks has grown into a genuine friendship and creative collaboration.”

Nose and palate

The distillery describes a nose of grilled pineapple and soft toffee, with Demerara sugar and ginger spice behind them. The palate opens with tropical fruit and molasses, then moves to sweet vanilla, citrus zest and a touch of wood spice. There is no official finish note yet.

At 53.4% ABV it is clearly stronger than a standard bottling, so it is worth tasting it neat first and then with a few drops of water.

Number two after Six°North

Fettercairn launched the first Distillers’ Secret in December 2025 with Six°North, a brewery from the neighbouring village of Laurencekirk: the Fettercairn 2007 Distillers’ Secret Collaboration With Six°north. That bottling was 54.9% ABV, limited to 318 bottles, and combined two casks of spirit distilled in 2007. One of them was a Bordeaux cask that had held Cabernet Sauvignon and then a Six°North beer.

So both releases share one pattern: a Scottish partner, a wine cask as the starting point and a small run sold only at the distillery. With number two, a single release has become a series.

Price and availability

Distillers’ Secret No. 2 has been on sale at Fettercairn Distillery since November 2026 and is limited to 486 bottles. The recommended retail price is around €144 (£120). You can find the Fettercairn Distillers’ Secret No. 2 Collaboration With Matugga Rum on Spiritory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Fettercairn Distillers’ Secret No. 2?

A Highland single malt Scotch whisky from Fettercairn, bottled at 53.4% ABV. It is the second release in the Distillers’ Secret series and was made together with the Scottish rum maker Matugga Rum.

Which casks was it matured in?

The whisky from Cask No. 170 spent five years in a former red wine cask and five more years in a Matugga rum cask. It was then married with whisky from two first fill ex bourbon barrels and rested in three ex bourbon barrels.

What does it taste like?

The distillery names grilled pineapple, toffee, Demerara sugar and ginger spice on the nose. The palate brings tropical fruit, molasses, vanilla, citrus zest and wood spice.

How many bottles are there and what does it cost?

There are 486 bottles. The recommended retail price is around €144 (£120), and it is sold at Fettercairn Distillery.

What was the first Distillers’ Secret?

A 54.9% ABV single malt limited to 318 bottles, which Fettercairn released in December 2025 together with the brewery Six°North.