Glenlossie 10 Year Old is a single malt Scotch from the Speyside region, bottled as part of Diageo's Flora & Fauna series. The first Glenlossie single malt was released in 1987, and today the standard 10-year-old expression forms part of Diageo's Flora and Fauna range. This is a spirit rarely encountered as a single malt, its only regular bottling being precisely this 10 Year Old Flora & Fauna release.
The distillery lies south of Elgin in Speyside. Glenlossie is a single malt distillery located in Scotland's Speyside region, south of the town of Elgin, known for supplying spirit to a wide range of blended Scotch whiskies. It was founded in 1876 by John Duff. The delicate character of the spirit is determined by the design of the equipment. One feature contributing to Glenlossie's subtle character is the purifier. The spirit stills employ a purifier placed between the lyne arms and the condensers; it acts as a mini-condenser, returning some of the alcohol vapours back to the still for redistillation, which increases reflux and produces a lighter, more delicate whisky.
The maturation profile is based on ex-American whiskey casks. The spirit matures predominantly in ex-bourbon casks sourced from the American industry, with a small percentage also in sherry casks from Spain. The spirit profile itself remains light and floral. Glenlossie produces a light and delicate, yet slightly oily single malt, presenting subtle green orchard fruits, freshly cut grass, cereal and floral notes, while time in cask develops gentle warming spices and honeyed accents.
The whisky is bottled at 43% ABV. On the nose, according to the producer's official tasting notes, there is a winey character, like a well-used drinks cabinet, fresh plums and kiwi fruit, along with a hint of pear drops. On the palate the whisky is sweet, with a good balance of the primary flavours and a pleasant acidity, and with the addition of more water a very light trace of smoke emerges. The finish leads towards dryness – it is fairly dry, with light notes of chocolate and a delicate, malty aftertaste. Glenlossie is best served in a traditional whisky glass, neat or with a splash of water.