Crieff, 30 September 2021 - The Glenturret in Crieff, Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery, has launched a spectacular new fine dining experience: The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant.
Located at the heart of The Glenturret distillery – the first distillery in Scotland to offer fine dining - nestled at the foot of the rolling hills of Crieff and alongside the River Turret, guests will enjoy world-class gastronomy and hospitality in the idyllic Perthshire countryside.
Scottish talent Mark Donald brings innovative cuisine to Crieff
The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant is headed up by Head Chef Mark Donald, who joins from Michelin-starred Number One at The Balmoral in Edinburgh. The 30-cover restaurant promises to deliver a unique gastronomic experience: Glasgow-born Mark built his impeccable culinary credentials through holding positions at some of the World’s best restaurants including Noma Copenhagen, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles (two-star Michelin), Hibiscus (two-star Michelin) and Bentley, Sydney. His homecoming in 2018 saw him take the reins and retain the Michelin star for Number One at The Balmoral.
The New “Must Visit” Restaurant
Available for dinner five nights a week, the seasonal and contemporary multi-course tasting menu offered at The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant has been created by Mark and his team to highlight the exceptional Scottish produce sourced and foraged in the local terroir. Diners will be taken on a culinary journey guided by a sense of place and introduced to unique and playful flavour combinations reflective of Mark’s global experience. All will be delivered with a seamless service and warmth that The Glenturret are renowned for.
The Wine List: Fine Wines from Five Continents
As is only fitting for what will be the fourth restaurant for Lalique, an extensive wine list comprising of 400 wines has been skilfully curated by Executive Sommelier, Julien Beltzung, to compliment diners on their global expedition of flavour. Fine wines from five continents have been assembled to reveal their charms and enable wine enthusiasts to explore any region of the world at a range of prices, by the glass and by the bottle – such as the beautiful Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1er Grand Cru Classé 1855 in Sauternes and Château Faugères, Grand Cru Classé in Saint-Emilion, both owned by Silvio Denz, Executive Chairman of Lalique Group; or Ancestor, a 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon from Glenturret shareholder Hansjörg Wyss’ Paso Robles estate in California. Some of the more exceptional wines have even been selected from the private cellars of Silvio Denz. A testament to the outstanding quality of the selection, the wine list has already won Best of Award of Excellence at the Wine Spectator Award 2021.
Spectacular Whisky Bar
The jewel in the crown for whisky fans will be The Bar, a beautifully crafted, six-meter-long bar housing the finest whiskies in Scotland taken from within, and outside of The Glenturret archive. Open seven days a week and a destination in its own right, 250 spectacular whiskies will be available for enthusiasts to experience by the dram, as part of a curated flight or in a selection of classic cocktails. Guests will be able to enjoy rare and hard-to-find whiskies such as The Glenturret 35 Year Old 1977 or a Port Ellen 18 Year Old 1979 Silent Stills Signatory.
The Design: Crafted Elegance
Situated in the centre of the distillery, the restaurant is designed by Green & Mingarelli, the same interiors duo who have designed two of Lalique’s other hospitality establishments, Villa René Lalique and Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey. The decoration was inspired by place and history. Centuries old brick work is left exposed and the blues and reds from The Glenturret and Murray clan tartans combine with soft golden barley tones to create an ambience of crafted elegance. Large windows overlooking the River Turret and the distillery create a warm atmosphere. The intimate space is furnished with two dramatic Lalique Champs Elysées chandeliers; barley motifs crafted from Lalique crystal adorn polished oak doors and guests will eat and drink from bespoke Lalique glass and tableware.
Speaking of the new addition to the distillery, Managing Director at The Glenturret, John Laurie said, “We are so thrilled to be partnering with Lalique to open this beautiful new space. The Glenturret has long been home to some of the finest whiskies in the world, and it seems fitting that, with Mark Donald’s help we will now be able to provide visitors with an elevated dining experience that reflects the skill, heritage and Scottish heart that goes into producing such exceptional liquids.”
The Lalique Afternoon Tea at The Glenturret
For those visiting in the day, indulgent afternoon tea will be served in the elegant Lalique Salon seven days a week. A thoughtful elevation of the traditional afternoon tea, the selection of seasonal savouries created with the finest Scottish ingredients will be offered alongside sweet delicacies, such as an exceptional Maracaibo 65% & Malted Barley Gateaux, made with the same grains used for making The Glenturret and served tableside from the trolley. All pastries are created by pastry chef Kayleigh Turner, who recently won Pastry Chef of the Year at the Scottish Food & Drink Awards; Kayleigh also worked together with Head Chef Mark Donald at Number One at The Balmoral. The Lalique Afternoon Tea will be accompanied by a small list of bespoke cocktails - some based on the Sauternes of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey - as well as champagne, tisanes and infusions all created to match the innovative Afternoon Tea menu perfectly.
Silvio Denz mentions that “It was critical that the shared philosophies of both Lalique and The Glenturret were reflected in the new restaurant. The distillery, much like Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey and Villa René Lalique, has a long-standing heritage, sits in a beautiful location, and plays a vital role in the community. We wanted to honour and bring to life all of those traits. With the help and guidance of Jérôme Schilling, Head Chef at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey and Romain Iltis, Director of Wine for Lalique, we hope we have achieved a balance of bringing a timeless elegance to the new restaurant, whilst paying homage to and celebrating the heritage and history of The Glenturret. Everyone involved in the project, from the local craftsman who were commissioned to refurbish the space, to the neighbouring suppliers we will be using to source outstanding hyper-regional produce, will have a connection to the surrounding landscape and will become part of telling that story to every guest we welcome through the doors.”
Hand-Crafted Crystal Cask
To celebrate the opening of the restaurant, a unique Lalique cask has been crafted by hand at the Lalique factory in Alsace. Featuring a crystal cask end engraved with The Glenturret crest, the cask will hold “The Spirit of Glenturret”: a 2-year-old liquid drawn from cask #106 which was filled the day that Silvio Denz and his business partner Hansjörg Wyss confirmed the takeover of The Glenturret distillery. The crystal cask will be on display in The Bar throughout the summer before moving to the VIP tasting area in the warehouse.
The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant is now open; for reservations, please visit www.theglenturretrestaurant.com
The Glenturret
Established in 1775 as a single malt distillery by John and Hugh Drummond, Glenturret was the first of several distilleries drawn towards the soft and pure waters of Turret Burn in the Perthshire countryside. The distillery has survived many tough periods in its three centuries, from US Prohibition in the 1920s to the Great Depression of the 1830s.
