The Glenturret has announced its plan to move away from the use of peated malt in production in 2025, as well as the removal of peated expressions from its 2026 core range.
Much of the Glenturret’s whisky making has been unpeated in style, before introducing Ruadh Maor, a peat-smoked form of its whisky in 2009, produced annually. The decision to remove the peated expressions from its core range has been with a clear future house style in mind, to celebrate a light and fruitful new make spirit.
The recent changes to the distillery’s malt specification form part of the Glenturret’s ongoing journey to define its signature style, whilst continually improving the sustainability of its processes.
This latest development follows on from the distillery’s transformative acquisition led by the Lalique group in March 2019. Prior to acquisition, the majority of the distillery’s spirit was distilled and matured with blending in mind.
Commenting on the transition, distillery director Ian Renwick said: “We honour the environment as deeply as we do our craft and that is the mantra for the Glenturret of the future. Our attention to detail is second to none, and as a small team, it’s incredible what we can achieve in our whisky making.
“Significant investment to our production facilities have reduced our annual energy consumption by 27 per cent, our process waste by 1,000 tonnes per year, and saved 1,000,000 litres of water annually. As responsible distillers we seek out not only the best materials but also the most considered practices when crafting our whiskies.”
The distillery continues to be one of the smaller Scottish distilleries, despite attracting a global audience with a presence in key luxury markets such as London, New York, and Tokyo. Consumer diversity helped to inform the brand of the new direction, as highlighted by managing director Jennie Baernreuther: “We have been collaborating closely with our global partners and whisky making team, to understand and truly define what a consumer should expect when savouring our range. The last few years of new ownership have allowed us the space to dedicate our time and resources, into crafting something that celebrates both our incredibly rich heritage and the unique terroir of our Perthshire home.
“Refining both our production and style gives us confidence in the future, that alongside the unforgettable depth of craftmanship in everything that we produce, our distinctive fruit notes and American oak sherry influence will be instantly recognisable as a Glenturret Single Malt.”
For fans of the brand’s peated style, bottles still remain of the 7- and 10-year-old expressions and other Peat Smoked editions at the distillery’s website.
