We Escape to Scotland’s oldest working distillery, The Glenturret, for a two Michelin-starred dining experience between the drams
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The glenturret lalique: whisky and two michelin-starred dining
We Escape to Scotland’s oldest working distillery, The Glenturret, for a two Michelin-starred dining experience between the drams
Words by Henrietta Easton
The Glenturret Distillery: Scotland’s oldest working distillery
It was a blue-skyed spring day when I arrived at The Glenturret Distillery, hidden in a pretty little glen in a bucolic corner of Perthshire. As the River Turret babbled past, its banks lush with wild garlic, a warm breeze blew the enticing scent of malt my way – “it’s like this every day”, I was told. Though I knew that not to be true (it’s Scotland, after all), it was a wonderful thought.
The river’s an important place to start here, because in its Latin form, ‘Glenturret’ means ‘rushing stream’. The Turret Burn is a tributary of the River Tay and has provided the distillery with an essential source of water since its foundation.
As the oldest working distillery in Scotland, dating back to 1763 (when it was established as a legal distillery, though its illegal whisky-making heritage dates back even further), The Glenturret doesn’t disappoint when it comes to enthralling, historic stories.
A guided tour will intrigue with its tales of 18th-century smuggling, illegal distilling – even murder. Alex Thomson, The Glenturret’s visitor centre manager, also regaled us with nefarious stories of his own family, who’ve been in the whisky industry for several generations.
The Glenturret has had a long association with various whisky blends, and was the home of The Famous Grouse Experience between 2002 and 2018. However, since it was purchased by new joint owners in 2019, led by The Lalique Group and Swiss-American entrepreneur Hansjörg Wyss, the focus has been on promoting its own whisky heritage and boutique range of single malts.
The Glenturret continues to use traditional methods to make its single malt. Walking around today, things aren’t too dissimilar to how they were for The Glenturret stillmen of 200 years ago. The barley is sourced from local farms and it’s one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland to still use its own malting floor and still have an open mash tun. As a small distillery producing just 340,000 litres a year, there’s capacity for just one mash tun, one wash still, and one spirit still. The mash is stirred by hand with a rake.
The whisky’s distinctive tropical fruit flavours are developed from the eight Douglas fir wooden washbacks. Watching the fermentation process up close – the golden liquid bubbling away in the enormous washbacks – was surreal, and I was delighted to sip a dram (or two) after the tour.
At this point, The Glenturret’s rustic past is almost left at the door, because in this newer corner of the distillery, bustling quietly and oozing luxury, is its very own two Michelin-starred restaurant.
The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant
The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant was opened by the distillery’s new owners under the guidance of Scottish chef Mark Donald, becoming the first Michelin-starred restaurant in a distillery in 2021, and in February 2024, it was awarded a highly coveted second Michelin star.
I spoke with Mark the morning after an incredible 14-course dinner that was modern and theatrical, while still paying homage to the distillery’s heritage and Perthshire surrounds.
Having started his career washing pots, Mark took a more unconventional route into the chef world. “I wanted to do an acting course but I bottled the audition and stayed in the kitchen.
“I loved it. It was noisy and fast, there was discipline and adrenaline. Eventually I just wanted to learn to cook. I like making people laugh, I like making people smile, and I like the result you get from cooking for people,” he said.
Having cooked at some of the world’s best restaurants, Mark told me that the best thing about working at The Glenturret is not being in the city. “There are deer in my garden, wild produce at my fingertips, it’s a nice community, surrounded by nature – and the whisky’s cheap.”
The local produce is abundant. “We have sweet pistachios, blaeberries (bilberries), ceps, wild raspberries, the list goes on,” Mark told me, “and the game is amazing. Shannon, behind the counter, her grandfather shoots grouse, so he can bring whatever he shoots to the back door.”
Wild garlic is sourced from the Turret riverbank, salted, fermented and pickled. I enjoyed it with local juniper-smoked venison and leek.
Of course, the Scottish fish and shellfish is excellent too. The lobster-flavoured ‘Bisque-it’ biscuit is very popular, while the barbecued Orkney scallop was the biggest, fattest and the most delicious I’d ever tasted. “That was a small one”, Mark had told me with a twinkle when I’d brought it up.
While Mark is mindful of sustainability, he admits that it’s not always possible to use only local produce, especially in rural Scotland. “It’s harder here than most places, and if I can get something better elsewhere I will. My menu’s dictated by quality, not by provenance,” he said.
Obviously the distillery plays a key part in the restaurant’s identity, but Mark’s aware that not everyone who comes up here likes whisky, “some people just want a nice meal so I have to be careful not to make it like ‘Malt Disney’.
“You can’t have a whisky with every course like you would in a vineyard, but there’s certain things we do, like the glaze on the bread is made in the same way as the whisky, with fermented water and barley, so there’s a nuanced way of weaving the whole package into the menu,” he said.
The Aberturret Estate House
If you’re coming from further afield, the newest string to The Glenturret’s bow is the opening of on-site accommodation for diners at the restaurant. The Aberturret Estate House, just over the burn and a five-minute walk from the distillery, is now exclusively available for dinner guests to book for dinner, bed and breakfast.
Exquisitely decked out in natural hues and soft furnishings, the house seamlessly blends Scottish country living with luxurious contemporary touches, like modern art, copper bathtubs and record players. Sleeping 12, the house has six beautiful bedrooms and is also available to book as an exclusive private hire.
It seems the only way is up for The Glenturret, and Mark doesn’t believe he’s cooking at his best yet. “I don’t think I ever will. That’s probably to my detriment, but it’s also to my advantage,” he said.
It’s certainly an advantage to foodies.
Distilleries in Scotland with accommodation
Here are some of the other places in Scotland where you can combine a whisky visit with an overnight stay
Isle of Raasay Distillery Whisky Hotel
The Isle of Raasay Distillery is the only place in Scotland where you can stay overnight in the same building as a working distillery. Borodale House is a beautiful Victorian villa that has been transformed into a chic, modern hotel with six en-suite bedrooms that can be booked individually or hired exclusively
for groups of up to 12.
Glenmorangie House, Easter Ross
Situated just moments from Glenmorangie Distillery in Tain, playfully opulent Glenmorangie House has six double en-suite bedrooms and three cottages on site, which have all been uniquely designed to reflect the tastes of Glenmorangie whisky and to tell
the tales of its colourful history.
Bowmore Distillery Cottages, Islay
Once home to the Bowmore Distillery workers, these Victorian cottages are just metres from Bowmore Distillery – the oldest on Islay. Dating back to 1800 and thoughtfully renovated throughout, each one has its own fully equipped kitchen, and they vary in size from
a cosy one-bed property, to a six-bedroom cottage for groups.
Craigellachie Hotel, Speyside
Although not technically attached to any specific distillery, Craigellachie is ideally placed in the heart of the whisky action, with some of Scotland’s most famous distilleries very close by. The historic hotel is home to 26 cosy bedrooms, the oldest pub in Speyside – dating back to 1703 – and the Quaich Bar and its offering of over 1,000 single malts.
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