Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 43%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon
Chillfiltered: Yes
Added coloring: Yes
Owner: Lalique Group
Average price: € 50.00
Official website: theglenturret.com
Vote: 79/100
The distillery, which claims to be the oldest in Scotland (along with at least five others), boasts a foundation dating back to 1775, even though, in the same area near the River Turret, illegal distillation was active as early as 1717.
Glenturret was founded under the name of Hosh by the Drummond family (Arnold’s adoptive father, I doubt it had anything to do with it), and then arrived at its present name with the second change of hands to Thomas Stewart in 1875.
It was closed twice during the Great War and then during Prohibition, and only reopened in 1957 thanks to James Fairlie, who wanted to make a whisky in the old tradition.
Other changes of ownership between the 1980s and 1990s, from Cointreau to Highland Distillers to The Edrington Group, with the current joint-venture arriving in 2019.
Not a very large production of which part ends up making up The Famous Grouse blend, so much so that their portfolio is not particularly rich and was renewed in 2015, introducing this peated version with an initial batch with a wax seal, followed by editions with the usual aluminium seal.
Produced in small batches, the one featured in this article is from the second.
Tasting notes
Delicately smoky on the nose, with peat mostly fleshy, it opens up to aromas of vanilla, caramel, toasted almonds, apples and tobacco leaves. Woody veins in the background. Young and rather shy.
More ashy on the palate, with a fairly light texture, the toasted woodiness increases, accompanying echoes of spices (chilli and cinnamon) on fruity (apples, peaches, bananas) and sweet (vanilla, marzipan) tones. Malt with a touch of liquorice.
Medium-long finish with bitter, salt, ash, vanilla and liquorice notes.
The peat, while remaining fairly light, does not seem to integrate well with the rest of the aromas, appearing a little unconnected, a sort of stowaway on board an otherwise easy-drinking, friendly whisky that ends up not knowing exactly where to stand.