This was the final of six samplings of the May outturn for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society ("SMWS") - an interesting bottle from Glenturret, a peated, oceanic dram if there ever was one. A gathering of about 30 people gathered at the Jack Rose Saloon in Washington DC to try and guess a blind tasting of the six drams.
All the peated bottles of Glenturret I've had have been really worthy contenders in the clogged arena of heavily peated Scotch. They all have had a signature note of "shaved pencils," a cedar-like note. Here are the official notes:
The two most outrageous comments nosing this one neat were, burning an old tweed jacket and how about the camel’s breath that is locked in a hay barn. There was certainly smoke, and we finally agreed on roasted grapefruit margaritas with smoked sea salt. On the palate smoked dark cherries soaked for months in Navy style rum and then baked in a Caribbean black cake. With the addition of water, we experienced a Caroni swamp tour watching the scarlet ibis, the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago, as one in the party handed round a hipflask with smoky Kummel (caraway and cumin, maybe also some fenugreek) liqueur.
Pretty good description, in hindsight... well, apart from that camel's breath comment. Let's explore:
Nose: Anchovies, motor oil, butter, kippers, peat, smoke, tar, coal. Intensely oceanic and industrial.
Mouthfeel: Viscous, heavy weight.
Palate: Fish oil, peat, vanilla, oak, ash, pencil shavings - the latter only after water and time.
Verdict: Massive ash and peat. Long lasting.
Finish: Another nice Glenturret ... well, assuming you like fish. This has so many fish elements it's almost absurd. But it you don't find a heavy maritime character objectionable, and you like peat, this is for you. The maritime nature is rather odd, because Glenturret is pretty significantly inland, in Crieff. Either way, this is quite potent stuff. You've been warned!
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