Whisky: Glenlossie 11 Year (2010), SMWS 46.128 “Lotta good stuff”

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 54.5%

Cask: Bourbon Hogshead (9Y), First Fill Caucasian Oak Barrique

Age: 11 Years (30 March 2010)

Nose: Tropical citrus, eucalyptus, herbal, pears, toasted cinnamon, coconut butter, coconut lifesavers.

Palate: Medium-bodied, tropical citrus, coconut, musk, dusty library books and book bindings, strawberry cream, dried beech or sandalwood, mild salt.

Finish: Long and lingering with dried citrus rind, herbs, and wood.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Library Fruit Finding Guide

Narrative & Notes:  The aroma began with a spritz of tropical yuzu and calamansi citrus before eucalyptus, blackberry, thyme, and pears arrived. Malty and toasty at times with bread, pie crust, cereals, and sweet cinnamon, gradually a creamy coconut butter or oil emerged and occasionally came off as mild coconut lifesavers with a backing of beechwood. Medium-bodied, the palate had a pleasant chewy viscosity and plenty of tropical citrus. Yuzu and calamansi candies appeared first, while an almost floral muskiness and coconut butter or lifesavers followed close behind. Dusty library books, binding glue, and worn pages came through with more time or a few drops of water with dried beech and sandalwood. Strawberry cream pastries waited at the end with an accent of salt. The finish was long and slightly drying with dried citrus rind, herbs, and wood.

I am not quite ready to convert to the church of Glenlossie, but I may be on my way to attending occasional services. Back in 2021, I gave a much older Glenlossie a 10/10 and a slightly younger one an 8/10; while I have had a strong preference for older Glenlossie, some of these younger ones can be delightful. This particular bottle had ample tropical citrus, musk, and mustiness, which provided structure and offered a well-integrated series of notes. The aroma was a tad oakier than I enjoy, but the palate had plenty of lovely fruity and old books.

I have never encountered Caucasian, sometimes known as Persian, oak. The tree can frequently be found in the Caucasia region, though it has been grown as an ornamental tree across Europe for some time. To my knowledge, it has rarely been used for cask production in the past. The effect of wood varietals remains a leading edge in whisky maturation and an area of great interest for quite a few bottles and distillers, so I would not be surprised to see more unique oak finishes or maturations appear.

Overall, I thought this was delightful and picked up a bottle for summertime sipping, so I might be biased because everyone wants to love the bottle they have.