Turntable Spirits Track 5: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 59.1% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Track 5 reveals its composition in unusual detail: 26% Tamdhu from a First-Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, 21% Dalmunach and 18% Mannochmore from First-Fill Bourbon Barrels, plus 22% Girvan grain whisky from First-Fill Bourbon Barrels and 13% from Marsala Barrels. This Blended Scotch is bottled undiluted at its natural cask strength of 59.1%. It has no added colouring and is non-chill-filtered.

The combination of sherry, bourbon and Marsala casks brings together chocolate and nut notes, stone fruit, dark fruit and spicy oak. The whisky also evokes chocolate and almond cake with juicy peaches and vanilla cream. Its high strength is matched by a well-balanced combination of malt and grain whisky.

This limited edition was released in 2024 to mark Turntable Spirits' first anniversary. Its name, Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, refers to the Daft Punk track of the same name. The release comprised around 2,000 bottles.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, nuts, milk chocolate, toffee and nougat stand out, accompanied by leafy notes. Plum and red berries then emerge, while stewed apple remains in the background.
• Palate: On the palate, the sherry character combines with bold spice from clove, pepper and juniper. Light notes of charred oak accompany vanilla, wood varnish and a hint of stone fruit. Hazelnut and pepper then come to the fore again.
• Finish: The medium-length finish is distinctly drying, with pepper and dark cocoa defining the lingering flavours.

Distillery/Bottler:

Turntable Spirits is the Glasgow blending house founded by brothers Gordon and Ally Stevenson, responsible for creating and bottling its blends. For Track 5, it combines malt whiskies from Tamdhu, Dalmunach and Mannochmore with grain whisky from Girvan, publishing the proportions and cask types used.

The brothers brought more than twenty years of combined experience to their own venture in blending. They work in small batches, prioritising the desired character over large production volumes. Turntable made its public debut in 2023 with three limited-edition Tracks; the connection between music and whisky also shapes its subsequent editions.

Facts: