Glenlossie 1984 / 2009, Carn Mor
John Duff plus a few partners founded Glenlossie in 1876. The name goes around somewhat as the colourful character it belonged too was a former Glendronach and Bon Accord manager and later, a co founder of Longmorn and Benriach. The story goes that John Duff ventured as far as South Africa and then America to found distilleries but unsuitable political climes of the time prompted his return to Scotland and soo Longmorn, and later Benriach, were conceived.
In 1919 DCL (Distillers Company Ltd) took over Glenlossie, and then to SMD (Scottish Malt Distillers) in 1930. The stills went from 4 to 6 in 1962, and in 1971, Mannochmore was built on the same site, behind Glenlossie’s buildings, though they do count as separate distilleries.
Glenlossie is another choice blender’s malt, most of its 2.1 million litre output goes into blends, so you won’t find any OBs, save the Flora & Fauna and Manager’s Dram range, but if you were to google the distillery, one point seems to pop up quite often: Glenlossie’s spirit stills have purifiers attached to their lyne arms. The purifiers send heavier components of the distillate back to the still and is meant to create a lighter bodied distillate.
The sample I’ve got here is from the Carn Mor range, this one stands out as being matured in a sherry butt, where else most of the rest of the range seems to be bourbon matured.
Glenlossie 1984 / 2009, Carn Mor Vintage Collection, Sherry Butt, Cask no 2537, 46%
Nose: Ripe plums and strawberries. Faint but fruity in that bright ripe fruity way, as opposed to the dark brooding gurgling jam and molasses way. Milk chocolate, hints of white wood plus obligatory dustings of wood spice and tannins. Interesting foil provided by a drop of camphor? Also a light mustiness – overstewed tea leaves? Or that could be the expensive taiwanese Oolong I had earlier speaking. Ehm. I’ll just say old paper. Ok but definitely evolving in the glass, as it becomes all lemony and parsley after half an hour!
Palette: Sweetish, nice chewy sweet malt texture – heavy enough with an almond oil weight, almost waxy I think, yet rather spiced with those wood spices, and also a little warmth provided by some pepper. Nice backdrop but where’s the main show? Soft florals and grapefruit juice after a few moments. Something citrusy sour and zesty, becoming more and more sour. Lemon!
Finish: Medium long, sour and zest.
Not the best but certainly not the worst. Sherry aspects are there but faint, not exceedingly characterful on the nose or palette, yet the backbone is present. It is the sponge cake base that needs the garnishing. Is this what a first class blending malt is made of?
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