This week on WhiskyFun Legends we check out a single malt from the distillery that claims to be the oldest in Scotland: a Glenturret 34 12 months Outdated Berry Bros & Rudd.
Make sure you learn the earlier installments of WhiskyFun Legends if you happen to haven’t already.
The Glenturret 34 12 months Outdated Berry Bros & Rudd Cask Ref #2
Glenturret Distillery claims to be the oldest distillery in Scotland, with the primary written reference to ‘Thurot Distillery’ (the earliest recorded identify for Glenturret) relationship again to 1763. Nonetheless, authorized distilling didn’t start there till 1818 underneath John Drummond. Again then, the distillery was named The Hosh.
After a interval of fixing arms, the distillery was closed and dismantled in 1923. Nonetheless, in 1959 it was introduced again by James Fairlie after which bought by Remy Cointreau in 1981. 9 years later it was bought by Highland Distillers, which grew to become a part of Edrington in 1999.
In 2002, Edrington invested £2.2 million in a brand new guests centre at Glenturret named The Well-known Grouse Expertise. Glenturret whisky had lengthy been a contributor to the well-known mix. Then, in 2018, Edrington bought the distillery, which is now owned by luxurious glassmakers, Lalique.
Because it transitioned into the arms of Lalique, the distillery has made a step in direction of luxurious. That is becoming contemplating Lalique’s standing within the luxurious market. A number of the most notable developments embrace a luxurious collaboration with British carmaker Jaguar and the discharge of a 50 12 months previous expression in 2022.
Berry Brothers & Rudd is older, even, than Glenturret, having been established in 1698. A lady named Bourne (her first identify is unknown – she is known as Widow Bourne) arrange a grocers on St James’s Avenue in London.
Over 300 years later, Berry Brothers & Rudd is among the largest spirit and wine retailers on this planet and has a fame for bottling luxurious whiskies.
One such whisky is the Glenturret 34 12 months Outdated Berry Bros & Rudd, which was bottled from single cask #2 at 47.6% after being matured for 34 years. The whisky was bottled in 2012, and sampled by Serge Valentin on December fifth of that 12 months.
Serge Valentin’s Tasting Notes on the Glenturret 34 12 months Outdated Berry Bros & Rudd Cask Ref #2
“Glenturret? Let’s prepare for some enjoyable, much more so for the reason that wonderful BBR haven’t declared any classic for this, so possibly it’s a multi-vintage i.e. a wedding of a number of casks (which ‘cask ref #’ as a substitute of ‘cask #’ might indicate as effectively). However let’s to not lose ourselves in conjectures, let’s slightly do that intriguing child…
Color: gold. Nostril: effectively effectively effectively, it’s not one of many whacky ones in any respect, which doesn’t imply this child’s boring, fairly the other. First there’s a gentiany and liquoricy oak, then some quinces and kumquats, then touches of scented cleaning soap (it’s not soapy in any respect, slightly towards roses, or say high-quality anti-wrinkle cream ;-)) and lastly, a mix of apple peel, cigarette tobacco and an earthy type of tea. I believe it’s great.
Mouth: bang! The one and really minor flaw is that possibly the center is a tiny-wee bit thinnish however apart from that, we have now an nearly good mixture of overripe apples, salted butter toffee, numerous herbs, gingerbread and butterscotch. It turns into even somewhat medicinal, with tiny notes of cough lozenges.
End: unexpectedly lengthy, with some grapefruits and extra apple peelings coming to the entrance in addition to a most nice grassy bitterness. Feedback: no matter they did, that is completely wonderful and for as soon as, that’s no opinion, it’s a truth. SGP:461 – 91 factors.” – Serge Valentin, WhiskyFun.com, December 2012
The Value of the Glenturret 34 12 months Outdated Berry Bros & Rudd At Public sale
This Glenturret 34 12 months Outdated is extraordinarily uncommon at public sale. It didn’t seem at public sale till 2015, three years after its launch. Since then, it has bought simply 6 occasions for between £165 and £230, with the final hammer coming down in Might 2018.
In fact, provided that it has been 6 years since one in all these bottles was final bought at public sale, it’s troublesome to know what you would possibly pay on the secondary market right this moment. The bottle can also be unavailable at retail.
So, in case you are a fan of Glenturret otherwise you wish to do that “wonderful” whisky, I’d counsel maintaining a tally of the auctions for this elusive single malt.
