The Glenturret 12 Year Old 2023 Release

Nose: Raisins, dried figs, dried dates, sherry, earthy leather, spicy oak. It smells like Christmas cake, plum pudding and spiced cookies blended together and served hot with sherry sauce. There is also an herbal liqueur note like Chartreuse in the background and reduction brings out softer fruity notes. Palate: Spicy and hot right from the first sip with cinnamon and tannins in complete charge, but it's not out of control and the spice notes never stray into bitterness. There’s also a lot of saltiness as it develops with salt licorice, salted preserved plums, salted orange peel and a metallic note becoming more and more obvious as it progresses. There’s a big sherry component as well but it’s dry and more like fino or amontillado than oloroso. There is certainly no PX sweetness here. The texture is good. Finish: Long. Spicy and drying (when neat) with walnut skins, dark cacao and herbal notes in the aftertaste. Adding water makes the finish sweeter. The nose is full and rich and reminded me of old Glenfarclas. It lead me to expect a rich oloroso-style palate but it took an unexpected detour to a whole different place with salty preserved fruits and herbal liqueurs dominating the palate. The finish is long with a foundation of dry, savory flavours. What is most interesting is how well this initially discordant combination of aromas and flavours works. At first the whisky seemed strange and unbalanced but I very quickly came to enjoy its angular but very well composed profile. It’s a bit like listening to Thelonious Monk – initially disarming but once you “get it”, compelling. When neat this would make an admirable aperitif whisky as its dry character opens the palate just like a dry sherry. Adding a little water changes the dram noticeably with sweeter, softer nutty flavours coming forward and this makes it more suitable for general sipping. It pairs very well with black coffee, by the way. Tasted from a 30ml sample. “Very Good” 85/100 (4 stars)

The quissential autumn dram. Brilliant with notes of raisins, ginger, cinnamon, apple pie, honey, bananas, and hints of smoke. Nose: Apple Pie, Raisins, Cinnamon, Acacia Honey, Bananas, Smoke, Vanilla, Strawberries, Coconuts, Bubble Gum, Walnuts, Banana Bread, Ginger Root Palate: Raisins, Nutella, Cinnamon, Strawberries, Toasted Honey, Granny Smith Apples, Sultanas, Hazlenuts, Ginger, Quince Pears Finish: Honey, Blood Oranges, Walnuts, Almonds, Strawberries, Dark Chocolate, Banana Bread, Cotton Candy, Vanilla

Nose: Salty, fudge, wax paper. Palate: Ginger spice and heat, cinnamon. Dusty oak. Sultanas. Finish: Oak spice replaces the ginger. Burnt caramel. Aftertaste of sweeter dried fruit. A few drops of water brought a nutty quality through onto the nose and softens the heat on the palate without compromising the flavour. It also brings forward the dried fruit. I prefer it with a touch of water.