Can one have too many Glenlossies? Second Glenlossie tasting in a row, and no sign of overdose yet.
Let us have two sister casks, bottled by the same bottler, ten months apart.
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| Ta-da! |
Glenlossie-Glenlivet 21yo 1957/1978 (80° Proof, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask): nose: phwoar! A mix of modelling clay, lichen, fruits, wood and faint flowers. Seemingly all at once, we have pottery, drying in the sun, mirabelle plums, lichen on staves, gorse flowers, what almost appears to be honeysuckle, but is more likely forsythia, and dusty larders. Cut quince is next in line, kumquat, bergamot, yellow tomatoes -- this is quite a ride! Roasted yellow peppers, a spray of furniture polish, and then, unexpectedly, old newspaper and old notebooks. Further nosing cranks up the citrus, with calamansi and pomelo yoghurt. Coming back to it an hour later, it wafts of baked bread and Dundee cake, with fluffy bread crumbs and yeast, yet also pollen, wax, and even plasticine. Mouth: it is all delicate and juicy, with plum juice, fresh kumquat, persimmon -- it has the velvety texture of persimmon flesh too! Next to the fruit: manuka honey, green-peppercorn shavings, a pinch of dust and lichen. A soft acidity develops; it is calamansi and banana, smashed together on milk-soaked white bread. It has something creamy and acidic at the same time, though it is not pronounced enough to be lemon curd. In any case, it is utterly, utterly brilliant. Finish: persimmon, plum and citrus (kumquat and bergamot) perfectly blended with honey, furniture polish and yellow flowers (welcome back, gorse and forsythia) in a bowl of unctuous custard cream. In the long run, a faint acidity becomes more obvious, harking back to that calamansi-and-banana pairing. Whatever honey is left at this stage is melted spreading honey, rather than pouring honey, thicker than before, while not completely solid either. Perfect mouthfeel, perfect strength, perfect balance, superb aromas and flavours. Win. We had this
several years ago, which triggered my interest in this lesser-known distillery. It remains the best expression I have had, to-date. 10/10
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| The difference in colours is astonishing |
Glenlossie-Glenlivet 21yo 1957/1979 (80° Proof, Cadenhead imported by Mario Rossi, Sherry Cask): this one, I procured whilst trying to purchase the other. At first, I was annoyed to receive a different bottling, then I became curious, so I kept it. Nose: after an initial impression of rancio and a fleeting scent of meat, the nose becomes very elegant, with soft leather, polished oak, ripe figs and blackcurrant liqueur. Blackberry pie, wine-infused jams, rum-toft, as well as toasted-wood notes of burnt cake crust, caramelised tomato sauce and, well, toast. Later on, coffee grounds emerge, supported by musk and grilled sausages. Once that dissipates, the nose welcomes mirabelle plums and roasted yellow peppers. Laurel and olive-tree leaves make a last-minute appearance, bringing some welcome greenery into the picture. And then it is scented candles that have sat dormant in a cupboard for decades, and soaked blood-orange peel. Mouth: blackcurrant to the core, juicy and acidic in equal measures. Beside that, stewed prunes, dried cranberries, aniseed and resin. It is a bit spicy, with sumac and caraway fighting the fruits' sugars for attention. The rancio from the nose persists on the palate, just as discreet here as it was there, but giving a nice, chewy texture. I could be dreaming, but I seem to find the most minute amount of smoke, far in the back of the throat. It is anecdotal, however. Finish: the sherry is most pronounced in the finish, with earth, coffee grounds, faint liquorice and, perhaps, a whisper of cured meat. Dark fruits are still there, but more in the background, this time -- blackcurrant, blackberry, myrtle, bramble, elderberry. The sweetness from the mouth is a distant memory: the finish focuses on the bitterness brought by the earth, coffee and liquorice root. It does not turn too bitter, mind. After a few sips, and out of nowhere, currant liqueur coats the back of the mouth. This is excellent, but it seems less complex than the first dram. It is also less my personal preference. 9/10
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| Love the differences between labels, so close apart in time |
Glenlossie-Glenlivet 21yo 1957/1978 (80° Proof, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask): nose: phwoar! A mix of modelling clay, lichen, fruits, wood and faint flowers. Seemingly all at once, we have pottery, drying in the sun, mirabelle plums, lichen on staves, gorse flowers, what almost appears to be honeysuckle, but is more likely forsythia, and dusty larders. Cut quince is next in line, kumquat, bergamot, yellow tomatoes -- this is quite a ride! Roasted yellow peppers, a spray of furniture polish, and then, unexpectedly, old newspaper and old notebooks. Further nosing cranks up the citrus, with calamansi and pomelo yoghurt. Coming back to it an hour later, it wafts of baked bread and Dundee cake, with fluffy bread crumbs and yeast, yet also pollen, wax, and even plasticine. Mouth: it is all delicate and juicy, with plum juice, fresh kumquat, persimmon -- it has the velvety texture of persimmon flesh too! Next to the fruit: manuka honey, green-peppercorn shavings, a pinch of dust and lichen. A soft acidity develops; it is calamansi and banana, smashed together on milk-soaked white bread. It has something creamy and acidic at the same time, though it is not pronounced enough to be lemon curd. In any case, it is utterly, utterly brilliant. Finish: persimmon, plum and citrus (kumquat and bergamot) perfectly blended with honey, furniture polish and yellow flowers (welcome back, gorse and forsythia) in a bowl of unctuous custard cream. In the long run, a faint acidity becomes more obvious, harking back to that calamansi-and-banana pairing. Whatever honey is left at this stage is melted spreading honey, rather than pouring honey, thicker than before, while not completely solid either. Perfect mouthfeel, perfect strength, perfect balance, superb aromas and flavours. Win. We had this several years ago, which triggered my interest in this lesser-known distillery. It remains the best expression I have had, to-date. 10/10
Glenlossie-Glenlivet 21yo 1957/1979 (80° Proof, Cadenhead imported by Mario Rossi, Sherry Cask): this one, I procured whilst trying to purchase the other. At first, I was annoyed to receive a different bottling, then I became curious, so I kept it. Nose: after an initial impression of rancio and a fleeting scent of meat, the nose becomes very elegant, with soft leather, polished oak, ripe figs and blackcurrant liqueur. Blackberry pie, wine-infused jams, rum-toft, as well as toasted-wood notes of burnt cake crust, caramelised tomato sauce and, well, toast. Later on, coffee grounds emerge, supported by musk and grilled sausages. Once that dissipates, the nose welcomes mirabelle plums and roasted yellow peppers. Laurel and olive-tree leaves make a last-minute appearance, bringing some welcome greenery into the picture. And then it is scented candles that have sat dormant in a cupboard for decades, and soaked blood-orange peel. Mouth: blackcurrant to the core, juicy and acidic in equal measures. Beside that, stewed prunes, dried cranberries, aniseed and resin. It is a bit spicy, with sumac and caraway fighting the fruits' sugars for attention. The rancio from the nose persists on the palate, just as discreet here as it was there, but giving a nice, chewy texture. I could be dreaming, but I seem to find the most minute amount of smoke, far in the back of the throat. It is anecdotal, however. Finish: the sherry is most pronounced in the finish, with earth, coffee grounds, faint liquorice and, perhaps, a whisper of cured meat. Dark fruits are still there, but more in the background, this time -- blackcurrant, blackberry, myrtle, bramble, elderberry. The sweetness from the mouth is a distant memory: the finish focuses on the bitterness brought by the earth, coffee and liquorice root. It does not turn too bitter, mind. After a few sips, and out of nowhere, currant liqueur coats the back of the mouth. This is excellent, but it seems less complex than the first dram. It is also less my personal preference. 9/10
Loved reading this thankk you
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