These three new whiskies form part of the 2021 range of single malts from the Highland distillery of Glenturret, which is the oldest currently operating in Scotland. The range follows 2020's Maiden Release series and features the same six expressions - the no age statement Triple Wood, 10 years old Peat Smoked and then age statements at 12, 15, 25 and 30 years old. However, each whisky is different to its 2020 version. They have been created by Bob Dalgarno, the Whisky Maker for Glenturret.
My wife and I got married a few years back, and decided to go to Scotland for our honeymoon. During the second week, we ventured up to Drumnadrochit/Loch Ness to stay in a cabin with marvellous views out over a forest. At this point I must tell you that I'd only ever drunk whisky out of my dad's drinks cabinet, and hated the stuff... I'm from the South West, strictly cider and ale only country!
Near the end of the holiday we went into the local village looking for a good meal and somewhere warm to relax for the night. We (luckily as it turns out) stumbled upon the Fiddler's Malt Whisky Bar. What an emporium! I was totally out of my depth and in awe of all the old looking bottles around the place, but I didn't have a clue what was what. We sat down and had a beautiful venison meal with some great local ales... but at the end of the meal I noticed various people taking whisky tastings.
With my interest aroused a little I decided that while in Scotland, what better time or place could there be than to try whisky properly. I asked them to go gentle on me and to select three well priced bottles to give me an idea of what I'd been missing. They talked me through trying their selections neat, and then adding a drop or two of water... it was a revelation! I left with a big smile on my face.
We went back the next night and did it all again, except this time I spent far too much money and came out with an even bigger smile on my face. I was already well and truly a 'peat head', although I hadn't quite realised it by then. On the long drive for home we stopped in Pitlochry, and on finding a great whisky shop there ended up taking 3-4 bottles home back to the West Country... and I've never looked back!
