Glenturret 7 Peat Smoked 2022 Edition - 44%
Laying claim to be Scotland’s oldest working distillery, records suggest there has been a distillery at Glenturret since at least 1763. Today, the distillery still resides in its original location overlooking the river Turret on the edge of town of Crieff.
History has seen changes of name, floods and a long silent period, but the focus has always remained on traditional handcrafted processes and a slow distillation when producing the Glenturret spirit.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given its long history, the distillery has changed hands several times in the past. Since 2019 the distillery has been owned by a joint venture headed by The Lalique Group, opening up the luxury end of the market to an often overlooked brand.
A revamped product range followed in 2020, with new branding including bottles designed with a distinct nod to the new owners. Since that ‘maiden release’ each year has seen new annual releases, the whisky in this review is from the recently launched 2022 range.
Distillery notes
The beautiful, rugged surroundings of our distillery have inspired smoke-filled aromas and flavours found in The Glenturret 7 Years Old Peat Smoked. American oak sherry seasoned casks build the confectionery sweetness from the new make spirit whilst delicate refill casks deliver the abundant smoky notes. Akin to the comforting shelter from a warm highland bothy on the fresh Loch Turret hills, the whisky’s peated character heightens and amplifies from the outside in.
Smoke drifts in, fruits appear, pleasant and warming. Candy sweetness lingers and soft mellow peat finishes.
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Amber gold, forms a thick line which falls as thick, oily legs.
Nose: Sweet heather smoke and barrel char appear first, as they slowly subside dried fruit makes an appearance along with sweet vanilla and a waft of caramel.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel. Stewed orchard fruits, sultanas, subtle peach and spicy cinnamon coat the palate whilst soft smoke plays a supporting role.
Finish: Sweet smoke comes to the fore again, providing a welcome and lingering counterbalance to the brown sugar sweetness.
Summary: An interesting dram, the peat element is soft and complements the sweetness of the spirit and the fruitiness of the sherry seasoned casks. Well balanced and an easy drinker, this would be an ideal gentle introduction to the joys of peated whisky.
Priced around £55, for me a little pricey for a whisky this age and abv but it’s a good quality, enjoyable whisky where the peat underpins the main character rather than dominating.
If you would like to know more about the whiskies and the Glenturret distillery, follow the link to the company website.
Transparency: this sample pack was received free of charge for independent review. The author has no affiliation with the bottler, all opinions are my own and remain completely impartial.
