Glen Turner Double Cask Port Cask Finish Review: 'ideal After a Workday'

Whisky comes in all shapes and sizes. There are bottles worth thousands of euros and whiskies you can pick up for just a few tenners. The differences in both categories are huge. This Glen Turner whisky proves you can get a solid expression for just a few tenners, ideal after a workday.

In 1981, the Glen Turner Blending Company was founded by the French Martiniquaise Group to work with various whisky brands. One of these is Label 5 whisky, and another is Glen Turner. In 2001, the whisky’s name stuck to the company itself when it was renamed The Glen Turner Distillery Ltd.

The company ultimately decided to purchase the Glen Moray distillery from The Glenmorangie Company and produce whisky there for Label 5 blended whisky.
This is where Glen Turner whisky, as we know it today, is made.

One of the brand’s expressions is Glen Turner Double Cask Port Cask Finish. This whisky is crafted using traditional methods that have been in use for centuries. As the name suggests, this single malt whisky has matured in different casks, followed by a finishing period in port casks to enrich the flavor.

Take a look at the burgundy-red tube of the Glen Turner Double Cask Port Cask Finish and you’ll see, in the detailed illustration in the background, a nod to the place the whisky hails from, the origin of the casks, and the influence they have on its flavor.

The left side of the illustration tells the story of where this Glen Turner’s casks come from. You’ll spot a map of Portugal surrounded by ships, casks, vineyards, and more. On the right side of the tube is Scotland, where the whisky ultimately matured in those port casks.

A golden insignia bearing the Glen Turner logo gleams above the illustration. The same insignia also appears on the bottle as its label. The refined look of the label is complemented by a richly embossed bottle, “Glen Turner” on the front and a logo on the back.

The back label provides a bit more information about the spirit, including a note that color has been added.

As soon as you open the bottle, the cask influence is unmistakable on the nose. The whisky is distinctly port-driven. On the first sniff, there’s also a prickle of alcohol, which is notable given the bottle clocks in at just 40 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

Give the whisky time to breathe in the glass and a delightful palette of sweet aromas unfolds. The dominant port character remains, layered with all sorts of dark fruit tones and a gentle undercurrent of spice. The nose is seductively sweet and promises an easy-drinking whisky on the palate.

On the palate, the Glen Turner Double Cask Port Cask Finish performs exactly as expected. It opens with generous sweetness and dark fruit. Before long, notes of dark chocolate appear, joined by sweet apple, caramel, and warming spices like nutmeg.

While the flavors are balanced as you sip, there aren’t many surprises. It delivers what you’d expect, then slips into a short, sweet finish.

If you’re hunting for surprise twists or a long, deeply layered profile, this isn’t the bottle for you. This is the kind of whisky you set out when friends are over, something delicious without being demanding. For newcomers or those on a budget, it’s spot on. A solid seven-days-a-week dram!

+ Very affordable single malt

+ Ideal for port lovers

+ Sweet, approachable flavor profile

- Doesn’t deliver much in the way of surprises

- Color added