I started Peat Week with a 23 yo on Monday (this Ledaig). On Wednesday, we went down quite a bit in age with a 10 yo (this Talisker). Today we go even younger with a 6 yo Glenturret that presents as a triple-threat: a very young whisky and a ludicrously highly abv and a re-charred hogshead. The last of those qualities also means that this week’s secondary theme was maturation in hogsheads. I’ve not had very many Glenturrets—as I said on the occasion of my previous Glenturret review (this much older and rather good 33 yo)—and I have certainly not previously had any peated Glenturret single malt. As per Scotchwhisky.com (RIP), the distillery makes some heavily peated malt each year under the name Ruadh Mhor or “Big Red”, which was previously allocated to a peaty variant of the Famous Grouse (when both distillery and brand were part of the Edrington Group). Presumably some went into the Black Grouse as well, and if so, I’ve indirectly had some peated Glenturret. Let’s hope this is better than the Black Grouse.

Glenturret 6, 2013 (63.9%; SMWS 16.47; re-charred hogshead; from a bottle split)

Nose: Indistinct notes of char, slightly chemical/plastic. Actually, make that pretty chemical/plastic on the second sniff: it gets quite astringent as the alcohol emerges. There’s some citrus underneath and some smoked ham but the harsher notes dominate. Alas, time does little to improve it here. Much better with water, however: it pushes the astringent notes back and pulls out some softer malt and more of the citrus.

Palate: Comes in sweet and hot; the char is here too but thankfully the astringent/plastic notes are far more restrained. Major alcohol bite, as you would expect from the abv. The charred smoke builds with time but, unfortunately, the astringent/plastic notes from the nose arrive as well. Okay, with more time still the harsher notes begin to diminish and there’s more charred meat. Better here too with water with a similar progression to softer, maltier notes. The char is still here but mixed now with some milky cocoa.

Finish: Long. Uninteresting. As on the nose and palate with water, getting sweeter as it goes.

Comments: This started very unpromisingly indeed but time and water were good to it. Still, nothing I’m in a hurry to drink again.

Rating: 79 points . (Pulled up dramatically by water.)