The Glenturret, Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery, has achieved a new auction record of £125,000 with The Glenturret Enduring Spirit, also marking the highest-priced release in its history.
Enduring Spirit, a one-off set of four unique whiskies inspired by the distillery’s long and illustrious past, has been crafted exclusively for the prestigious Distillers One of One Charity Auction. The Glenturret returned to the auction as a Founder Member for the second time, and its remarkable lot captivated the global whisky community – collectors and enthusiasts – with its distinctive blend of heritage, craftsmanship, and exclusivity.
The whiskies, crafted by The Glenturret’s renowned Whisky Maker Bob Dalgarno, are housed in four beautiful crystal Lalique decanters using a vintage mould from the 1980s – the design of which is no longer in production – each representing a key moment in The Glenturret’s 260-year-old history. Each decanter has been sandblasted to depict these key moments with an image created by Glasgow-based artist Kirstin Burnet.
The first decanter features an image referring to the period between 1763 and 1820, a time when the first record of The Glenturret was found in a rental document dating back to 1763, confirming The Glenturret as Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery.
The liquid inside was distilled in 1986 and bottled in 2023 at 36 Years Old. It features aromas of ripe pineapple and cinnamon, sweet vanilla and wood spices, flowing through to a creamy, fruity finish. Decanter Two houses a 44-year-old whisky, distilled in 1978: toffee apples and citrus fruits, touches of toasted oak combined with dried fruit, ginger, cinnamon and marshmallow, leading to a complex, warm finish.
It shows an image of the distillery and River Turret, which has always provided the distillery with an unparalleled source of water; it is the years 1821 to 1880 when the distillery was known as “The Hosh”, that its popularity began to grow and the arrival of the whisky in London was announced.
The third decanter, distilled in 1990 and bottled in 2023 at 32 Years Old, focuses on the time from 1881 to 1960, a time that was marked by prohibition, as well as a new owner at The Glenturret Distillery: James Fairlie, who brought the distillery back to life after it had fallen silent.
His ambition to ‘preserve the traditional methods of distilling and to grow the appreciation for whisky’ continues to influence The Glenturret’s philosophy today.
Tasting notes include Syrup sponge, soft, sweet notes reminiscent of sherry at Christmas, and slight hints of clove and cinnamon; on the palate, dried fruits and gentle wood spices leave a rich but slightly dry finish.
The fourth decanter looks at the period between 1964 and 2020, which saw the distillery become one of the first and most popular destinations for visitors worldwide, including key politicians and British Royalty.
It houses a 25-year-old whisky, distilled in 1998, that features notes from rich dried fruit, raisins and dates and subtle notes of mature oak balanced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Each bottle celebrates The Glenturret’s rich history and the remarkable journey it has embarked upon over centuries.
The set of decanters is housed in a beautiful, bespoke presentation trunk created and handmade by the renowned Scottish design studio and workshop Method Studio. The trunk is crafted from poplar wood and Scottish leather and detailed with thick hand-stitched bridle leather, oiled Scottish oak, and gold.
Its painstaking construction draws on traditional trunkmaking techniques and Method’s unique in-house style. It was built at their secluded workshop in the thickly wooded hills above Linlithgow in Scotland.
John Laurie, Managing Director at The Glenturret, said, “We’re very proud to be returning to The Distillers One of One Auction as a Founder Member. This incredible initiative has already improved the lives and opportunities of young people around Scotland, proving that every pound raised is being put to exceptional use.
We’re also very proud of our lot this year – ‘Enduring Spirit’ tells the key stories that have formed our brands’ history over the past four centuries and have brought us to where we are today. It took a little longer than planned to finish the four crystal decanters due to the incredible craftsmanship that goes into creating each of them, but the result was well worth the wait!”
The winning lot also includes a visit to The Glenturret distillery to enjoy a sensational gastronomic experience led by Head Chef Mark Donald at the Michelin-starred Glenturret Lalique Restaurant.
The proceeds from this remarkable auction will be donated to The Distillers’ Charity, principally to the Youth Action Fund, dedicated to transforming the lives of young people in Scotland.
Full Tasting Notes
- Decanter 1: 1763 – 1820
Cask #341, distilled in 1986, bottled in 2023 at 36 Years Old
RIPE PINEAPPLE, aromatic with CINNAMON sweetness, TROPICAL FRUITS lead with SWEET VANILLA and WOOD SPICES, mouth coating, MATURING OAK shows later flowing through to a CREAMY, FRUITY finish. - Decanter 2: 1821 – 1880
Cask #190001, distilled in 1978, bottled in 2023 at 44 Years Old
TOFFEE APPLES and CITRUS FRUITS, the aromatic thread continues, touches of TOASTED OAK combined with DRIED FRUIT, GINGER, CINNAMON and MARSHMALLOW leading to a complex, warm finish. - Decanter 3: 1881 – 1960
Cask #190005 was distilled in 1990 and bottled in 2023 at 32 Years Old
SYRUP SPONGE, soft sweet notes reminiscent of SHERRY at Christmas, slight hints of CLOVE and CINNAMON. DRIED FRUITS and GENTLE WOOD SPICES dance on the palate, leaving a rich but slightly dry finish. - Decanter 4: 1961 – 2020
Cask #190014, distilled in 1998, bottled in 2023 at 25 Years Old
RICH DRIED FRUIT, warm sweet notes from RAISINS and DATES, subtle notes of mature OAK balanced with CINNAMON and NUTMEG. LIQUORICE and ANISEED make a brief appearance before a rich finish of WOOD SPICES.
Read more spirits industry news and features here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.