Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery, The Glenturret, has  announced that they have begun a transition plan to navigate away from using peated malt  in their own production in 2025 and removal of peated expressions from their core range  from 2026. Although originally using peat in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, much of The  Glenturret’s whisky making has been unpeated in style. The distillery introduced Ruadh  Maor, a peat smoked form of The Glenturret whisky in 2009, which alongside their  unpeated spirit, has been produced annually. The decision to no longer include Peat Smoked  releases in The Glenturret’s award winning core range, has been made with a clear future house style in mind, that celebrates the distillery’s distinctive light and fruitful new make  spirit, nurtured in predominantly American oak sherry seasoned casks.  

This latest development follows on from the distillery’s transformative acquisition led by the  Lalique group in March 2019. Five years on since purchase, every element of The  Glenturret’s rich heritage and time-honoured traditions continues to be reimagined.  Significant investment, time and expertise have elevated the brand from its former days as  an overlooked and unknown whisky to the elegant, highly coveted Single Malt it is today.  

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. Prior to acquisition, the majority of the distillery’s spirit was distilled and  matured with blending in mind. Producing a heavily peated component during this period, was advantageous to the popular blends that The Glenturret previously featured in. This is  now not the case as the brand has evolved its output exclusively for its own Single Malt  production.  

This exciting transition is announced just as The Glenturret is recognised as Walpole’s  Sustainable Luxury Brand of the Year. This prestigious accolade celebrates the distillery’s  achievements in embedding sustainability across its operations, from significant reductions  in energy and water usage to promoting sustainable practices throughout its supply chain.  While sustainability is an inherent part of The Glenturret’s ethos, this honour further  underscores the distillery’s vision for a future defined by exceptional craftsmanship and a  deep respect for the environment.

The Glenturret’s small and experienced team have focused their efforts on crafting a range  of whiskies that showcase the finest and most distinctive elements of the distillery. Ian  Renwick, Distillery Director at The Glenturret, explains the important balance between  distilling a high-quality spirit whilst reducing impact, commenting, 

“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%, 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 Glenturret continues to be one of the smallest Scottish distilleries. Despite its size, the brand is quickly attracting a global audience with a current presence in 19 markets  including key luxury accounts in London, New York, Tokyo, Seoul and Paris. The  Glenturret’s growing diversity of consumer has helped to inform the new premium direction  of the brand. Jennie Baernreuther, The Glenturret’s Managing Director, highlights the  important role markets have had in shaping the brand’s identity, observing, 

“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.” 

As The Glenturret transitions fully to its signature house style, fans of the peated  expressions can still find remaining bottles of the 7- and 10-year-old and other Peat Smoked  Editions in the distillery boutique, online shop www.theglenturret.com and select retailers,  while stocks last. Guests are also welcome to savour these distinctive expressions during the  immersive distillery tours or at The Lalique Bar, situated next to The Glenturret Lalique  Restaurant, the distillery’s two Michelin Star unique dining destination. For those seeking a  more exclusive offering, limited private casks of The Glenturret peated whisky are also  available for purchase. Whisky lovers are invited to explore these final expressions as The  Distillery celebrates a bold new chapter focused on the refined, fruit forward character that  defines The Glenturret today and into the future.