Speyside stalwart Glenlossie is often a very safe pick for an indy bottler nowadays. At one point the spirit was infrequently seen on the cask market, now I’d consider it a regular hallmark of natural distillate weight and crisp, refreshing floralness. Watt Whisky’s 264 bottle release has been matured in a hogshead for 10 years before being presented at 56.4% ABV. Whisky Exchange have again got you covered on this one - £61.75 a bottle.
Nose: Crunchie Bars, soft toffee and a selection of dried grasses – reed and flax – sit with apricot fool, whipped cream and ethyl ester pear drops. The addition of water moves things into fresh and ripe orchard fruits with sliced pears and apples together with clear honey and gingerbread men.
Taste: Pear is now right to the fore – poached in apple juices. Pepperiness builds in the development alongside ginger – it is tempered by split vanilla, bourbon biscuits and honey that has been imbued with lemon juice. Dilution expresses a rather more cereal-centric whisky with branflakes and Alpen sitting with souring orchard fruits.
Finish: Medium and favouring biscuits and fading, sweet Comice pear.
Spot on expectations – crisp, refreshing and well-judged. Buy a bottle – save it for next Spring.