A pair of whisky-loving Glasgow brothers have launched a new range of whiskies aimed at taking a fresh look at the world of blended drams.
Gordon, 34, and Ally Stevenson, 32, have announced the launch of Turntable Blending House, a hip new brand that sees the pair combine their love of whisky and music to create an exciting range of whiskies.
"Gordon and I have worked in the industry for many years, but have never had the opportunity to work together," explained Ally. "We’ve been fortunate enough to travel the whisky world extensively and were always frustrated by the perception of blended whiskies – often seen as the volume category, whereas single malt is where the quality lies.
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"But why does this need to be the case? Blending opens incredible opportunities for flavour development and innovation. Turntable is our vision to challenge the perception, whilst bringing something fresh and exciting to the industry we love."
With over 20 years of combined experience in the trade, the pair wanted to forge their own path and helping people to see the true value in blends became a key drive.
With Ally having previously worked at Glenallachie Distillery, learning the craft of blending from industry legend Billy Walker, and Gordon having spent a decade on the sales side of the business, covering markets such as Scandinavia, North America, and the Middle East, the pair are now looking to combine their skills to make a success of the new brand.
Gordon joked: "Ally has developed a clear vision on the direction of Turntable whiskies. And yes, he acknowledges his good fortune in getting to learning the craft from an industry legend like Billy Walker."
Based in the west end, they have converted their parent's attic room into a blending lab and sample room, to create the base where the "real magic happens".
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Ally explained that, as you'd expect, the name has a special meaning for them, he added: "We’re both passionate about music and wanted to explore the connection with whisky – two of life’s great joys that have the ability to take the drinker or listener to a different place, a different time. We want to know where Turntable whiskies take people.
"Blending opens endless possibilities for innovation and flavour development. We want to combine that with the care to detail and transparency you find in the world of single malt to create something new and exciting for the adventurous whisky drinker or curious newcomer alike."
Describing themselves as a "traditional blending house with a fresh outlook", Gordon explained that they will bottle in small batches, with natural colour, non-chill filtered and with a minimum of 46% abv.
He said: "We’ll strive to innovate and push boundaries whilst always putting quality first. Wood management is essential to our strategy. We also want to break barriers between the brand and whisky enthusiasts by offering as much transparency as possible."
With a trio of special bottlings released for their launch with names inspired by bands they love including Biffy Clyro and the Progidy, what can we expect next from them?
"We plan to follow up with three core range whiskies in late summer/early autumn," revealed Ally. "We’re also working on a very exciting collaboration blend for the second half of the year – can’t wait to share more.
"We have lots of ideas on how to innovate in the blended space. All will be revealed in due course."
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