Fine & Rare: The Glenturret 50

The Glenturret 50

A Glenturret that spent 5 decades in maturing before finally being released in a stunning black crystal decanter

The Distillery

Glenturret claims to be Scotland's oldest distillery, though the claims might be a little questionable, it was definitely the one which helped usher in a new era for distillation.

The distillery started operations in the 1770s as 'The Hosh', with unlicensed distilling being carried out all the way till 1818 when John Drummond began making whisky did licensed distilling start.

The name change from The Hosh to Glenturret only happened in 1875— the name was taken from a nearby distillery that failed 20 years prior.

Single malt bottlings of Glenturret have been rare, but the bottle featured in this article eclipses thar rarity! Read on to learn more about the Glenturret 50.

The Story

This eye catching bottle is Glenturret's rarest expression yet. The cask was filled in the winter of 1972 on the 25th of February before it was carefully rolled into the distillery’s traditional Dunnage warehouses where it lay peacefully maturing for over five decades.

There are a total of 150 bottles available and to mark the launch, Glenturret auctioned bottle number 1 off with Sotheby's auction during the Whisky in Lalique auction.

The whisky is bottled in a striking black crystal decanter from Lalique, the rarest and most difficult type of crystal to produce. The motif on the decanter was inspired by barley and hand carved into the crystal by Lalique craftsmen to provide “a tactile smooth and frosted finish” that mirrors “the craftsmanship and skill that went into producing such an extraordinary whisky” according to the company.

The decanter is stored in a bespoke black case with inlaid mother of pearl.

Taste Profile

Although it is extremely unlikely for most of us to have the opportunity to taste this incredible whisky, it's still nice to know how the taste is like!

These are the official tasting notes taken from theglenturret.com by Glenturret's whisky maker, Bob Dalgarno:

SWEET AROMATIC CANDY forms an ever-present background to hints of FRESH APPLE and WARM HONEYCOMB. SUBTLE GREEN OAK, SYRUP SPONGE, DATES and DRIED PRUNES lightly coat the mouth, a slight touch of ANISEED. Gently AGING OAK reflects the five decades spent maturing in cask.

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