Whisky: Glenturret Ruadh Maor 10 Year (2012), Dràm Mòr

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 58.7%

Cask: Refill White Port Hogshead Finish

Age: 10 Years (Distilled 2012, Bottled 2022)

Nose: Coastal, herbal, caramel candies, mossy stones, dissolved limestone, fish smoking shed, thyme, hints of tobacco and sawdust, dried fish skin, black pepper.

Palate: Medium-bodied, sharply maritime, brine, sand, dissolved minerals, tide pools, more subtle smoke, smoked fish, sawdust, and herbal thyme, preserved citrus, grapefruit and bitter orange near the end, slightly creamy with water.

Finish: Medium to long saline, herbs, and faint wood smoke.

Score: 6-7

Mental Image: Abandoned Fish Smoking Shed

Narrative & Notes: I poured this as dram #16 on a “Holiday Mystery Whisky Advent Calendar” and guessed it was a teenage Caol Ila considering the hefty maritime notes and herbal character. I had a funny feeling it could not be that easy and wondered if maybe it was a peated Glenturret— though I have typically found those earthier and far less salt.

It turns out I should have listened to that little voice in the back of my head. I am not surprised I ignored it; I have never had a Ruadh Mor like this. I cannot think of any Glenturret that struck me as being quite so coastal. Perhaps it was the cask at work? I do not think I have had another white port finish. A whiskybase user noted that, more than anything, the bottle reminded them of Talisker, certainly not Glenturret, which sits nowhere near the coast.

Overall, a tad sharp for my taste, though water smoothed out some of the rougher edges and brought a bit of cream, or even wax, to the palate. I remain impressed by just how different this was from the other Ruahd Maor I have tried.