Carrying on the theme of listing the whiskies from the warehouse tour at Glenturret in the dying embers of 2018 we move on to a single cask. Before continuing though to get an idea of the distillery and what a visit is like see my article on the subject Distillery Visit: Glenturret

The Dram

In the warehouse as part of the tour the drams which you get to taste are in mini tabletop wooden barrels with a plastic bladder inside them. Not something which is to my taste really as I like to see the bottles and the labels however this particular bottle I would have liked to have seen. The story behind this particular bottle you see is that in September 2018 a case of bottles was found in the Edrington head office of Glenturret which no-one knew anything about. The only information on the bottles was it was distilled in 1987, its alcoholic strength (which I now forget sorry but it is cask strength) and distillery which was Glenturret obviously.

From the tour guide it seems that is all the information they have about it. Wither it was a product which was in a pre-release stages before being dropped I don’t know. However, this whisky of unknown age although probably in and around 25  years old has not gone to waste. The total amount has been getting sold via the warehouse tour ticket price since September and one of the final drams was the one I tried.

Tasting Notes

Colour – yellow and orange

Nose – there is lots of esters, exotic fruits and herbs competing for your attention. There is again this buttery note in the nose which I find in all Glenturrets that I tried that day and of course a wood sap note as you expect after so long in wood.

Palate – The texture is really thick. Far thicker than the 30 year old core bottle I previously reviewed. The experience is of apple cider and a wedge of melon making it quite the summer dram

Finish – The finish is also really long and full of spices, herbs and cinnamon of a good old ex-bourbon cask

Final Thoughts

So the unknown quantity was the most interesting and best dram of the tour. There is a lot to be said for a good single cask and if you can find any indi bottles it seems those are ones to try. The house style of Glenturret is a little too subtle and restrained for my tastes I would say.

However, it would be foolish to assume I hold the same opinion about Ruadh Maor.