Glenturret 12 Year Old 1965 Cadenhead

The Glenturret Distillery is not so well known, but when I say Famous Grouse Experience, I am sure you all know what I am talking about. Anyway, during a birthday tasting of two friends a while back, I was given this sample with the assignment to taste this old Glenturret post haste. It was bottled in 1977 – the year in which Star Wars hit the silver screen – meaning it is a distillate from before I was born, which is always fun. I will not, however, vouch for the fact that it still has an ABV of 45,7% after sitting for almost 40 years in the bottle.

The nose starts fairly sweet on overripe (actually rotting) apples, a bouquet of flowers and some mint. But that lasts all about thirty seconds. Then it suddenly turns very floral… Make that soapy! A wet sock that has been wrapped in a plastic bag for too long. Dirty laundry! Hand soap! A bit of Play-Doh. This is bad. Very bad.

On the palate it goes south from the get go. It feels like I have something plastic in my mouth (albeit spicy, imagine that!) from which some liquid soap dribbles. I do get some grasses and something of overripe banana and bitter oranges, but the soapiness overpowers everything and makes my taste buds scream for water to rinse the bad taste from my mouth.

The medium long (oh, boy!) finish is extremely bitter.

Dammit, this was not a pleasant surprise! A true punishment having to taste this. An interesting malt for a meddlesome mother-in-law. Nowadays, this is just a curiosum for which you will pay around 400 EUR.

Find where to buy Glenturret whisky