Review by: The Muskox

This whisky was tasted with a new friend at the Jack Rose Dining Saloon, which world-famous for its ludicrous whisky selection. I selected this Glenturret partly because I was pretty sure it’d be delicious, and partly because I thought it’d be something very different to the malts that my friend has tried in the past. Turns out I was right on both fronts!

---

Distillery: Glenturret.

Bottler: Ian Macleod.

Region: Highlands.

ABV: 55.8%. Cask strength.

Age: 21 years. Distilled in October 1990. Bottled in December 2011.

Cask type: Cask #658, a hogshead.

Price: $39 USD for a dram at the bar.

Color: Dark gold. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

---

Nose: Fragrant. There’s a distinct toasty character here that’s new for me in Glenturret – buttered toast and browned marshmallow. Overripe peaches, lemon zest, some citronella maybe. Lilac and sandalwood. Just a slight hint of smoke – distant bacon!

Palate: Medium-thick texture. Arrives sweet and savoury, with honey, table grapes, and buttery green olives. More of that citronella. Toasted oak, light smoke, and some black pepper in the middle, developing tropically to pineapple and coconut oil.

Finish: Medium-long. Lemon zest for days. More coconut oil, with a little bit of mango here as well. Light smoke and fresh flowers.

---

Possible SMWS bottling name: “Mosquito-proof luau”

Conclusion: Very good stuff. This was dram 7 of 7 on the night, but we could still get piles of subtle complexity out of this whisky. That toasted/lemon character was unexpected and reminded me a little of Knockdhu, but the fragrant and tropical character of this era of Glenturret turned up as well. Along with that Adelphi Breath of the Isles from earlier in the evening, this whisky elicited several “wow”s.

Final Score: 88.

---

Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.