The Glenturret has six new releases now available with the 2021 whisky range following last year’s maiden release.
The Glenturret, Scotland’s oldest working distillery, has revealed their new range of whiskies for 2021.
The launch comes after the incredible success of the 2020 maiden release and whilst the 2021 range consists of the same six expressions, each carries completely new whiskies.
The 2021 range has been expertly crafted by The Glenturret’s celebrated and highly respected whisky maker, Bob Dalgarno, who was recently presented with the accolade, Master Distiller/Blender of The Year, at the 2021 Icons of Whisky Global Awards.
The new whiskies comprise Triple Wood, 10 Years Old Peat Smoked, 12 Years Old, 15 Years Old, 25 Years Old and 30 Years Old.
Making whisky since 1763
Each expression builds on the 250-year heritage of the distillery, which has placed traditional distilling methods and hand-crafted whisky making at its heart since 1763.
“One of the most beautiful aspects of single malt Scotch is that every cask delivers unique nuances in whisky aroma, flavour and colour,” said managing director, John Laurie.
“These differences can be driven from numerous sources: new make spirit character, cask – wood type, cask size, the spirit the cask has previously held; and the temperature, humidity and location of the warehouse in which the cask sits during maturation.
“When looking forward as a brand, we felt we had two choices for the 2021 range: the first was to use the skills of our whisky maker to take these different casks and replicate the flavour profile from last year.
“The second was to celebrate the uniqueness of our casks, as well as the skills of our whisky maker and his team and set ourselves the challenge of creating a different range each year, featuring subtle variances for the whisky lover to explore.”
Completely new expressions
When crafting the new range Bob fully embraced this challenge; every one of the six expressions is completely new for 2021.
John explained: “In the 2021 range, you will find the same great quality you have now come to expect from The Glenturret, but you will be given the unique opportunity to compare our whiskies over their release years.
“The new 2021 range is the same ABV as our 2020 maiden release, except for Triple Wood, which we chose to increase a little this year as this was determined by Bob as the optimum for this whisky – the ABV at which the flavours are at their best.
“We prefer to present our whiskies at their flavour optimum ABV rather than a pre-determined target. You will also note a colour difference in this year’s 15 Years Old, which is more ruby than last year’s release – I love the way the colour progresses through our 2021 range.”
The Glenturret’s “By Hand & Heart” approach to whisky making means a commitment to small-batch production; stocks are precious, particularly of the 25 and 30 Years Old: only 204 bottles of 25 Years Old and 750 bottles of 30 Years Old are available in 2021, giving collectors and enthusiasts a rare opportunity to own a piece of liquid history.
The new 2021 Glenturret range is available online at www.theglenturret.com
Tasting notes
The Glenturret Triplewood (bottled at 44% ABV): Aged in bourbon barrels, American and European sherry casks. Notes of candied orange peel, sweet vanilla and rich ginger cake. Hints of cinnamon and barley sugar with a touch of fresh oak.
The Glenturret 10 Years Old Peat Smoked (bottled at 50%): Smoking embers on an open beach fire. A pinch of sea salt. Darker smokiness shows in glimpses. Soft warm spices and vibrant citrus fruits flicker in the flames.
The Glenturret 12 Years Old (Bottled at 46%): Sprinkles of ginger dance with barley sugar, rich oak, sultanas and cinnamon waltz slowly to a soft and creamy finale.
The Glenturret 15 Years Old (Bottled at 53%): Toffee apple and tropical fruit, peaches in syrup with hints of coconut. Vanilla sponge layered with fruit and spices leads to a warm finish.
The Glenturret 25 Years Old (Bottled at 44.3%): A lively introduction on the palate led by wood spices. Oak has a soft depth, clean at first then mature. A little aniseed, cinnamon bun and sweet pastry with a scattering of darker fruits. Ginger slowly mellows giving time for fresher fruits to appear with oak, this time in a richer guise as it drifts to a subtle, sweet, spicy finish.
The Glenturret 30 Years Old (Bottled at 41.6%): Toffee bon bons and dried fruits soaked in brandy. A citrus edge appears but only just with milled mature oak. The oak softens allowing vanilla to come through as a creamy dessert. Wood spices drift late coming alive on the palate. Wisps of ginger, gentle cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg mingle with rich dark fruits. Harmonious. Sweet fruit and toffee interwoven before oak meanders to a gentle warm finish.