Glenturret 28yo 1986/2015 (50.1%, A.D. Rattray Cask Collection, Bourbon Cask, C#342, 191b): nose: oooh! This is wide, sweet, and full of jam or compote; apricot is my guess. Some wood in the background, cherry-tree floorboards, mahogany, perhaps even teak. Then, it is a mug of hot chocolate, served with a tablespoon of mulled wine. Over time, the wood turns spicier, adding ground nutmeg, crushed bay leaves, ground pepper, cinnamon powder and garam masala to the mix. A couple of minutes later, that spice clears up and lets more fruit through. This time, however, it is berries instead of apricots: gooseberry, billberry, strawberry, cranberry and lingonberry. It promises more sweetness and tartness. The second nose adds rose water, always a bonus. Mouth: and tart it is! Berry-forward (you read it here first), it is almost jelly-like in texture -- an acidic/sweet berry jelly, that is. Some of the spices are back: a tiny dose of bay leaves, caraway seeds and toasted fennel seeds augment shy, caramelised apricot compote. Further sips bring caramelised-onion relish (!) and rose water too, which, surprisingly, works a treat. The interplay between light, ester-y notes (rose water) and thicker, darker ones (caramel) is fascinating, really. Finish: long, wide and comforting, the finish sees a metallic whisper (verdigris-eaten copper and butter knives) holding hands with cranberry sauce; it is sweet, yet also firmly acidic. That acidity slows down, over time, and minty, hard-shelled sweets take centre stage: Jordan almonds, lozenges, Mentos. After a while, it goes as far as crystallised berries, elderberry drops and cranberry boiled sweets. The finish presents a drop of fortified wine in the back of the throat, again, pretty tart, but balanced out by the delicate bitterness of distant crushed Aspirin. Lovely! 8/10
Happy birthday, CH.
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