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SPIRITS

THE GLENTURRET STILL LIFE SPRING

T o observe the subtle effects and changes that occur across the four seasons of the year, few places in the world can rival the wild Scottish Highlands, where The Glenturret, with a distilling heritage dating back to 1763 in rural Perthshire, sits along the rushing waters of the River Turret, surrounded by high hills. As a distinctive reflection of these seasonal changes, The Glenturret’s famed Whisky Maker, Bob Dalgarno, has created Still Life , an exclusive range of four exceptional single malt whiskies, each representing a season of the year, and in a limited edition of 105 decanters. At the same time, Marc Larminaux, Lalique’s Artistic and Creative Director, has dreamed up an evocative bespoke decanter for the range, hand blown in France by the master craftsmen of Lalique’s historic atelier in the Alsatian countryside. “The shape is classically inspired and taken from old whisky and rum bottles for their strength, roundness and generosity”, Larminaux explains. “The vertical line motif, reminiscent of the wooden staves that form the barrels, allows us to play with the satin-polish finish so typical of Lalique’s creations.” While the elegant design of the frosted crystal decanter is undeniably a timeless work of art in itself, what changes with each season’s interpretation is the alchemy Bob Dalgarno brings to bear as he expertly blends an ultra-premium single malt from the casks of ageing whiskies that lie within The Glenturret’s whitewashed walls. A legend in the world of Scottish distilleries, Dalgarno spent many years as Master Blender at The Macallan and was behind its pioneering limited edition and small-batch whisky releases. Following the purchase of The Glenturret by Lalique Group and Swiss entrepreneur Hansjörg Wyss in 2019, he agreed to take up a new challenge at this traditional Highlands cottage-style distillery where sublime malt whiskies are patiently crafted by hand by calling upon centuries-old expertise, over which neither technology, trends nor impatience hold sway. In just a few short years, the distillery’s collaborations with iconic brands like Jaguar, Gleneagles Hotel and Saint Andrews Golf Course have seduced connoisseurs from around the world, with innovative releases of exceptional limited edition single malts that have won a spectacular array of international awards. The Still Life range began with Winter , honouring the harshest of the Scottish seasons that Dalgarno has lived through in the fifty years since he first moved to a distillery as a child. “It was the winter of 1972, and everywhere and everything seemed to be blanketed by snow”, he recalls.

The Still Life range of four unique single malt whiskies is born from the remarkable collaboration between The Glenturret, Scotland’s oldest working distillery, and Lalique, France’s crown jewel of luxury crystal.

BY JOHN BRUNTON

The Glenturret has again been recognized for its commitment to innovation and excellence while preserving tradition as the winner of the 2023 Scotch Whisky Producer Trophy, awarded by the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition. The IWSC’s judges highlighted the success of the distillery in “revitalizing and rejuvenating a renowned traditional brand, while always staying true to producing credible Scotch whisky”. The jury also especially praised The Glenturret’s holistic approach to their sustainability efforts. John Laurie, Managing Director at The Glenturret, commented: “Respecting the traditional values and skills that have been passed down through the decades has always been the focus at The Glenturret and we are honoured to have received the Scotch Whisky Producer Trophy from the IWSC.”

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