onsdag 6. april 2011

7 Glenturrets tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011

Glenturret NAS 1972-? 40% OB

Back in the days the home of the grouse made some vintage malts, I haven't come to try any until now. Hopefully it'll be a bit more substantial in creating a distillery taste character for me as I've found the OB's of today to be lacking what you'd call... character. Light, honey colour, nice smell of unripe apples, sour, yet very fruity/sweet with hints of dextrose and cider. The taste is short, all in all pretty bland, watery with some greens. Quite a turnoff, gets spirity with something bitter, acrylic stuff.

Started promising, but turned out to be another insipid Glenturret: 2



Glenturret 8yo 40% OB

Glenturret's had a hard time getting recognition in my book, perhaps a youngster will provide a bit more vigorousness for this malt. All this young 40%abv malt brings me back to my first days when CS amongst OB's were a pretty farfetched idea. This smells light, soft linens, honey, tea. The taste is pretty rustic, dried paprika and sweet and sour sauce(not in a bad way). The aftertaste is long and peppery, actually small hints of fino sherry. This is a positive Glenturret in many ways.

Light but kind of sophisticated: 5



Glenturret 13yo 1979-1993 43% The Castle Collection cask#1051

The Castle Collection is just a rarity amongst all other bigger IB companys, but I like the diversity and everyone should be given a chance. The glenturret is also rarely bottled independantly. It has an extremely fresh smell, mountain air, wet grass, mint leaves and so on. The taste confirms my suspicions of bourbon-maturation. Some vanilla, black pepper and herbs. Other than that it's a very slow experience, it's like there's small hints of flavours all the way but they never really show. And in the end it all fades out in a anonymous and short finish.

I'm yet to be amazed by the Grouse-malt: 3.5



Glenturret 10yo 40% OB

I've had some Glenturrets of the new 12-15-18 range, but I'm yet to be really impressed. This one is possibly from a decade or two back. Some peppery notes on the nose, not too much to get excited about, some hay and burnt wood. The taste is a bit intriguing, some green tea, herbs, black pepper, cuban cigar, lacquer and sulfur. The aftertaste is rather long, going on with some pepper and green bananas. I find this to be a far better malt than some of the newer expressions, but once again, it's just a bit to standard to climb the upper part of my chart.

Good and honest malt: 6



Glenturret 18yo 40% OB

Oldest of the Turrets, smells of applepie, pretty sweet and fruity, so as the taste. No hints of alcohol at all, Pretty descreet taste, some withdrawn sweetness. The finish brings it somewhat to life after the uninspiring start. Pretty spicy, sweet red peppers and cauliflower. Beautiful finish.

I would love to see some experimental finishes on this one: 6.5



Glenturret 15yo 40% OB

Apart from being somewhat overshadowed by the famous-grouse blend, which is produced at the distillery, and most Glenturret is provided for, I think there are enough malt punters out there to make a serious effort on the market. This one smells instinctively of sulphur and acid, it needs water, and it also has a strange taste of menthol with a phenolic sweetness in the aftertaste. If I didn't now better I would think it was a very unlucky combination of oloroso and bourbon casks.

A funky experience: 3



Glenturret 12yo 40% OB

Glenturret is more famous for it's big contribution to the Famous Grouse blend than the Glenturret malt. Smells pleasantly of hickory and caramellised almonds. Starts off with some intens vanilla flavour, good development on the palate, ends quite strong with hints of rosé pepper.

It's a shame that it mostly goes to blending: 6.5

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