Berry Bros + Rudd: Independent Spirit: Ruadh Mhor (Glenturret) 2013 (Scotland Highland Single Malt Whisky: 12 Year: 63% ABV)
Visual: Slight reddened bronzed gold. Thick fast streaks come from the spirit.
Nose: Rose wine. Soot. Apples. Warming alcohol. Tarry. Glacier cherries. Water makes for treacle. Toffee apple, Oily peat and more apple.
Body: Thick. Sticky. Alcohol burn rises quickly. Tarry. Drying. Cherry pocked dry digestives. Apples. Pears. Water makes toffee apple. Still tarry. Still chewy. Bready.
Finish: Brown bread. Soot. Oily and tarry. Dry peat. Smoke. Alcohol burn. Water add treacle and brown bread.
Conclusion: Ok at 63% abv it should not be a surprise that this is quite burny when sipped. Heck I was more surprised at how smooth the aroma was, which did lead me to letting my guard down a little when sipping.
It is drying, sooty, oily, tarry and generally just “Dirty” as it was repeatedly referred to at a tasting where I first tried it. Dirty, burning, sticky and generally heavy.
There is a hint of softer notes, apple and cherry notes, I presume from the base spirit and the barrel aging respectively, but generally it is drying tar and fire.
Some people will prefer it like this, I know a lot of people who swear by cask strength neat as the only way. For me though it is a bit much, and I add water, as it can take a LOT and still work. Here is how I prefer it. Somehow the alcohol feels rougher even with a little water, however add more, a good chunk and it opens up and you finally get lovely treacle and toffee apple. It is still sticky, thick and chewy, now with a big mouthful of brown bread savoury backing to ground it and make more manageable.
It is still dirty, but with a bit of soothing sweetness and far less burning. Possibly a bit too bready, but definitely much more enjoyable like this.
Overall I am very glad to have and to have tried as it really is a tarry, sticky thing that is no longer made and that makes me sad. A bit too rough edged to be a favourite, but I can appreciate with water where the smoother, sweeter notes contrast.
A nice piece of history and a huge dram, if not a personal favorite.
Background: Another independent bottling for the always excellent Independent Spirit, this time in association with Berry Bros. This time an unusual Glenturret bottling, a peated version, called Ruadh Mhor , which has not been distilled for a while. I tried googling to find out when it was last distilled, but the answers I got were very blatantly wrong, so lets just say not a for a while. Aged on a Oloroso puncheon for 12 years this is one of 75 bottles. Not had much experience with Glenturret, enjoyed what I have had, but it was very easy going so was very interested to see how a peated version would go. I first tried at a blind whisky tasting, which was an interesting way to experience, and have had this bottle open for a while so plenty of time to air. Music wise went big to match big expression, Metallica: 72 Seasons. Easily the best of their latter work.
