Nestled in the picturesque heart of rural Perthshire, Scotland, lies a hidden gem that seamlessly blends history, luxury, and culinary excellence: The Glenturret Distillery, with its 2 Michelin-Starred restaurant ‘Lalique‘ and its gorgeous accommodation at Aberturret House, a mere 5-minute walk from the distillery. This enchanting destination offers a unique experience for those seeking a blend of traditional Scottish charm and modern sophistication, as well as great food and some of the best whisky.

Aberturret House

We were fortunate at the end of November to spend an evening at the recently opened Aberturret House, which is just a short walk from the distillery. Aberturret House is a 19th-century Dower house, formerly owned by the Murray Clan, restored to its former glory by the new owners of Glenturret distillery. This luxurious house is a private hideaway for up to twelve guests. The house features six bedrooms, each with ensuite bathrooms, a magnificent open plan dining kitchen (with an Aga range) perfect for entertaining, several living rooms and a formal dining room. One living room has a stylish cocktail bar which is handy for pre-dinner drinks, with an honesty bar in operation.

There are so many lovely touches with this property, besides being totally stylish (I had a lot of envy), they offer Glenturret Macintosh coats and umbrellas to keep you dry on the walk over to the restaurant as well as a handy little torch so you can find your way. Each room has a small tray of teas, coffees and biscuits as well as some really lovely toiletries and samples of Lalique perfume (which gave the menfolk Christmas gift ideas!) Some rooms have a record player and a collection of records. You truly are provided with everything you need for a wonderful stay.

Glenturret Distillery

As part of our stay we had booked a tour and tasting of the Glenturret Distillery. The Glenturret Distillery stands as a testament to the rich heritage and timeless craftsmanship of Scottish whisky making. As Scotland’s oldest working distillery, The Glenturret offers visitors an extraordinary glimpse into the world of whisky, from its storied past to its modern-day excellence.

The roots of The Glenturret Distillery stretch back to 1763, making it a cornerstone of Scotland’s whisky heritage. Over the centuries, it has weathered the tides of time, embodying the perseverance and dedication of its founders. The distillery’s commitment to traditional techniques, merged with a passion for innovation, has cemented its status as a revered institution in the whisky world.

We were taken on our tour by the wonderful Don, a truly knowledgeable guide who kept us informed and entertained. We learned about the whole process from the malting of the barley, preparation of the grist, to the making of the mash, and then the actual distillation process. We weren’t strangers to whisky making but it’s always interesting to find out the nuances between each distillery.

After our tour we were taken to the tasting room where we got to sample 3 of The Glenturret’s expressions; 10 year old peated, 12 year old and a Triple Wood, all were thoroughly enjoyed by the group. Under earlier ownership The Glenturret was used as a majority part of the Famous Grouse, but under its new management is flourishing on its own, and sold as a great single malt in its own right.

The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant

After the tasting we headed back to Aberturret House to get glammed up, have a few drinks and enjoy our many living areas, before heading back across to the distillery for our much anticipated meal at the Lalique Restaurant.

The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant is a destination in its own right. Located within the distillery, the restaurant boasts a two Michelin-starred dining experience under the guidance of Executive Chef Mark Donald. The seasonal menu, inspired by Scotland’s natural bounty, perfectly complements The Glenturret’s exceptional whiskies.

We started our evening in the bar area enjoying a bottle of Champagne and the ambiance, before moving through to our table. There were eight of us enjoying this experience, and most of us had dietary requirements, which the restaurant did not not baulk at, in fact they gave us each our own menus according to our requirements, which I thought was a really lovely touch. The dining room was buzzing with other guests including another large party. Its a bright space, but shrouded in Lalique glassware, simple but classy.

We chose to have the matching wines with the tasting menu, but I believe you can also do a whisky pairing as well – if you are brave enough! The wine pairings were all excellent choices, even though on some courses we had different dishes, we got different wines as well, which meant we all had something that paired well with what we were eating, which is a great touch.

Firstly we were treated to some really pretty and tasty snacks, which we enjoyed with the Glenturret Gin and Tonic. There were four snacks, Crowdie with Redcurrant and Cocoa, a Mylor Prawn, a Kombu Tart and their take on a Tattie Scone topped with Waygu Carpaccio. They were almost too pretty to eat, as were most of the dishes.

Our next course was their Malted Barley Sourdough with House Cultured Butter, well this bread was probably one of the best breads I’ve had, it came warm for a start but it was so tasty, we were offered another loaf, but we sensibly, yet stupidly declined!

We then started on to the main dishes on the tasting menu, we first had Langostine with Buttermilk and Sturia Caviar (for those that eat caviar) , which was like a very fancy prawn taco (sorry, I’m pretty sure that’s not what the chef wanted it to be referred to!). This was accompanied by what was referred to on the menu simply as Bisque-it. This turned out to be a delicious biscuit made from, you guessed it Bisque!

Next was a course of soft and flaky Line Caught Bream, with Perthshire Girolles and Morteau Sausage. This may have been my favourite course, though they were all delicious.

On the next course, this is where our menus differed, some had a very tasty looking BBQ Orkney Scallop with XO sauce, and the rest of us had Highland Wagyu Beef with Girolles and Carrot. I have been told the Scallop was melt in your mouth delicious, but I can confirm the beef was also the same, a little rarer than I would normally eat it but it was so tender it really didn’t matter.

With two more courses to go before dessert, again we were split in our choices, both pasta, but one filled with Foie Gras and the other with Sweetcorn , Nectarine and Truffle. I had the Sweetcorn ravioli, which was a very tasty mouthful, advised to eat in one bite due to a runny centre. The others thoroughly enjoyed their Foievioli, as it was called.

Our final savoury course was Anjou Squab with a mushroom duxelle, the squab was cooked perfectly, although quite rich, it was a great dish to end the savoury part of the meal on.

After a short break we were presented with a pre-dessert of Crown Prince Squash, Liquorice and shaved Frozen Citrus Fruits, this was really quite the palate cleanser with grapefruit being the stand out flavour.

The dessert was a beautiful Maracaibo Mille-Feuille with Green Coffee and Glenturret Triple Wood Sauce. A silence washed over the table when this was being consumed, it was just delicious, the right amount of chocolate and the triple wood whisky went really well with this dish.

To round off the evening we enjoyed some cocktails and sweeties. The waiting staff placed a large wooden box on the table with many compartments, it rotated and like magic produced different sweeties for us to enjoy, they even gave us a box of what we couldn’t eat to take away with us.

The Long Walk Home and the Morning After

After dinner the restaurant did offer us a lift back to Aberturret House, whilst tempting, it had stopped raining and after all that food some fresh air and a short walk would do us no harm. We returned and headed straight to the roaring fire in the living room, put on some records and cracked open more wine, because we really needed to do that! It was great having a living space big enough for us all to sit and chat and reminisce and ultimately stay up far too late!

The next morning we were provided with everything needed for a large breakfast, so we got cooking, getting to grips with the Aga, there were bacon, eggs, wonderful sourdough bread and pastries, yogurts, cereals and fruit juices, everything you could have wanted.

Once tidied up and packed up it was time to leave, we managed a quick wander round the grounds, which is in such a beautiful quiet setting. There is a terrace off the kitchen with a brazier, its just a shame we didn’t have the weather to sit outside and enjoy that.

Final Thoughts

This was a great experience for our group, we haven’t been away together in a long time, and as a group that frequented a lot of food and whisky events, it was great to manage to do this again, especially in somewhere as fantastic as The Glenturret Distillery, Lalique and Aberturret House. All places provided us with everything and more than what we needed as a group get together.

The Glenturret Distillery is a destination that celebrates the best of Scotland’s heritage and hospitality. Whether you’re savoring a dram of their finest single malt, enjoying a gourmet meal, or relaxing at Aberturret House, your journey through The Glenturret will be one to remember.

Visiting Glenturret Lalique and Aberturret House is like stepping into a world where tradition meets luxury. The combination of exquisite dining, elegant accommodation, and breathtaking surroundings makes it an ideal destination for anyone seeking a memorable Scottish escape. I highly recommend adding this enchanting retreat to your travel itinerary.

Have you visited The Glenturret? Or tried the whisky? Let me know in the comments.