A black and white photograph from 1905 has provided inspiration for Glenturret’s latest limited edition whisky, which is available for pre-order today.
The Glenturret Fly’s 16 Masters Edition, which will go on general sale on World Whisky Day (May 21st), is a 16-year-old single malt that only 1740 bottles have been made of.
Whisky lovers who have signed up to The Glenturret mailing list will also have the exclusive opportunity to purchase bottles with the following special numbers for £130 each: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 5, 8, 16, 18, 21 and 240.
The photo was discovered in the back of a cupboard at the distillery earlier this year, and features 16 stillmen, along with the distillery manager’s collie dog called Fly. The image will also be used on Fly’s 16 Masters Edition label.
Glenturret prides itself on its original, artisanal whisky making, and the fact that mashing is still done by hand – exactly as it would have been done in 1905. The year 1905 is also significant because it was the year that the first legal definition of whisky was declared by a magistrate’s court in London. The distillery dog, however, is a new addition to the distillery’s heritage which has mostly been associated with cats – Towser the Cat in particular, Glenturret Distillery’s world famous mouser and holder of the Guinness World Record for the most mice caught in her working lifetime. The distillery is now home to two resident moggies, Glen and Turret.
Stuart Cassells, general manager of the distillery, said of the limited edition; “1905 was a momentous year. A London magistrate’s court decided that whisky ‘should consist of spirit distilled in a pot still derived from malted barley – a momentous occasion for the industry.’ Closer to home, our 16 stillmen were captured for prosperity in this photo, found by chance at the back of a cupboard and now hanging proudly on our walls at the distillery. We think Fly’s 16 Masters Edition encapsulates not only the spirit of whisky but the spirit of The Glenturret’s hand-made heritage. We’re looking forward to seeing the bottles ‘fly’ off the shelves accordingly!”
The limited edition will cost £95.