Glenturret unveils Still Life Summer

Lalique Group-owned The Glenturret Distillery has released the summer edition of its Still Life series, which coincides with its whisky maker Bob Dalgarno’s 40th anniversary in the industry.

The collection is inspired by Scottish seasons with each expression presented in a Lalique decanter. Winter and Spring were previous releases, with Autumn coming next year. Still Life Summer – the third decanter in the series – is said to represent the season’s ‘daylight hours, blue skies, warm days and balmy evenings’, before the harvest starts. Dalgarno explained: “For The Glenturret Distillery, summer is traditionally a quieter time with our silent season taking place. Historically, this was partly due to a lack of water in the warmer months and the need for production workers to assist on farms during the busy summer – many farms were directly owned by, or linked to, distilleries. “While modern times have changed this dynamic, most distilleries still observe some downtime in summer for essential maintenance. While production may be quieter, farming never slows down and I enjoy watching the barley grow and change from green to gold under the warmth of the sun. “Walking through the fields, chatting with farmers, and observing the crop’s progress is something I eagerly anticipate each year.” The whisky was selected from five Glenturret casks – three refill hogsheads and two first-fill Sherry casks. Its notes include sun-ripened tropical fruits, cinnamon, sweet vanilla, pineapple and wood spices. Bottled at 40.5% ABV, it can be purchased on the distillery's website or at the distillery's shop for £5,000 (US$6,613). There are just 105 decanters available worldwide. Dalgarno added: “From growing up in the heart of Speyside and throughout my career, distilleries have always been part of my life. Alongside distilling, I have always had an interest in farming. “As a youngster, I watched my father working the land on the family farm. My first job upon leaving school was on a local farm, where I learned to look after cattle, drive a tractor, plough, and sow barley – little did I know what a big part that crop would play in my future career. The memories will forever be part of my Still Life.” The decanters in which the Still Life whiskies are presented are designed by Marc Larminaux, artistic and creative director at Lalique, and hand-crafted at the Lalique factory in Alsace. The decanters come in custom-made boxes with colours representing each season. On working with Larminaux, Dalgarno said: “Although our crafts are very different, Marc and I share a passion for attention to the smallest of details... Having worked with Lalique for many years, starting long before I came to The Glenturret, to be able to celebrate this relationship by creating Still Life – a true partnership between whisky and crystal – has been one of my career highlights.” The Glenturret is Scotland’s oldest working distillery. Recently, it also launched a whisky with Gleneagles hotel and unveiled its 2024 core collection of eight single malts.