Well-aged and well-priced (£121.20) Glenlossie that’s been maturing in a refill ex-bourbon hogshead since November 1992. I’m expecting good things. View on SMWS
Nose: Pronounced orange zest and redcurrant jelly are joined by dark gingerbread and dusty chocolate covered digestive biscuits. Running throughout, pineapple and guava alongside wood polish, orange liqueurs and Turkish delight. Water expresses burnt pasty and singed toffee sugars whilst notes of spent tobacco and leather mingle.
Taste: Super soft and juicy. Orange marmalade, quince jelly and mandarin segments sit with bourbon biscuits and spiced (cinnamon and nutmeg) ginger fondants. Lacquered oak and leather-covered armchairs are joined by charred cask ends and plenty of bright, steeped fruit tea. Reduction adds a bundle of florals and herbs – lavender, sage, flax and chopped grass.
Finish: Long, with cocoa nibs, dusty pepper and old, well-polished oak.
Middle-aged refill Glenlossie is something I keep an eye out for – and for good reason – it usually displays a wonderful equilibrium between bright juicy fruits and well-integrated aged oakiness. That’s exactly the case with 46.71 – it’s exactly the profile I’d be expecting and hoping for, and it’s really quite delicious to boot. Joint pick of the month.