The new pairing brings together two ancient Aberdeenshire businesses, and has been made using methods passed down for generations.
Sutherlands of Portsoy has been in the same family for 100 years, with the new salmon range being smoked in time-honoured methods in the traditional kilnhouse over whisky barrel shavings from Glenglassaugh, before being infused with the distilleries only peated expression - Torfa Single Malt.
One of Scotland's few truly coastal distilleries, Glenglassaugh is located on the Moray Firth coast just minutes from the beautiful Sandend Bay. Worth a visit for the views alone, the distillery is also home to an original malt mill and almost identical long necked pot stills, which give the whisky its light taste.
Glenglassaugh’s Torfa peated expression was chosen to pair with the Sutherlands of Portsoy smoked salmon because of its harmony of distinct coastal peat and striking spiced fruit flavours.
Glenglassaugh Master blender, Rachel Barrie said: “On the crescent beach of Sandend Bay stands Glenglassaugh Distillery, producing a luscious coastal malt, shaped by the rich abundance of land and sea, with rolling waves of avour.
"As a complete distillation of its natural surroundings, it made perfect sense to pair with our neighbours Sutherlands of Portsoy traditional smoked salmon.
Glenglassaugh Torfa unique smoky avour is developed using traditional whisky making methods including ingredients of richly peated malted barley dried in the traditional way, over peat infused kilns.
"Infusing the salmon with Glenglassaugh richly peated Torfa balances perfectly with the hand-crafted traditional smoked salmon, both enhanced by the Moray Coast sea air, natural waters and traditional ingredients.”
Elaine Sutherland, Managing Director from Sutherlands of Portsoy said: “We are delighted to be partnering up with Glenglassaugh to produce smoked salmon avoured with Torfa.
"Through the generations, the Sutherland family have been smoking the nest salmon using traditional methods for over 110 years.
"The rich peated avour of the Torfa compliments the unique flavour of our smoked salmon and we believe it will become a great addition to our range and a product enjoyed by discerning customers everywhere.”
Although the main expressions from Glenglassaugh are traditionally Highland and unpeated, Torfa was developed in order to 'get back' to traditional methods when peat was the only source of heat.
The limited run of this whisky is made using richly peated malted barley - making it subtly smoky. It is an ideal dram for those looking to get into a peated whisky, and a perfect pairing for the flavours within the Portsoy smoked salmon.
The name refers to the Old Norse word for peat, the whisky (as with the entire Glenglassaugh range) is natural in colour and has not been chill filtered.
The Glenglassaugh infused Sutherlands of Portsoy smoked salmon will be available to purchase from independent retailers and distributed to restaurants and hotels across the UK.
