Lost Distillery Towiemore Scotch Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B

The history of whiskey is replete with distilleries that are not merely shuttered, but actually lost. In Ireland, Scotland and the U.S., a combination of economic tumult, Prohibition, wars and plain bad business practices shut down, many of them so long ago that even the very building is gone, and the names of these places are known only in the niche of whisk(e)y history.

Now imagine if a bottler based its identity on trying to recreate the flavor profile of these lost whiskey-makers. In Scotland, that is exactly what the (very appropriately named) Lost Distillery Company does. During the last century, Scotland has seen nearly 100 of its distilleries disappear, more or less one per year on average and in a coincidence of numbers. In many instances, if the whiskies made by these distilleries even exist, they are absolutely out of reach even for sampling purposes.

So, what Lost Distillery Company does is hit the books, so as to construct a model for what the distillery flavor profile might have been like, “focusing on the 10 key components that influenced the original character” of the whiskies.

This recreation is of Towiemore, a Dufftown distillery that operated from 1898 to 1931, with a brief closure during the First World War. Ultimately Towiemore was done in by problems with their water supply.

The Scotch
Lost Distillery Towiemore is one of the Scotch whiskies I would recommend to bourbon drinkers. Bottled at 43%, its looks are suggestive of that very point. I couldn’t find any information on whether coloring was added, but, regardless, in the glass it has a light amber appearance, like brushed and faded copper.

The nose is fruity and grassy in almost equal measures, presenting a crisp scent of peaches and straw, like opening a crate of fruit in olden times when they might have packed in some straw for the padding. Mixed in there is just a waft of almonds and vanilla.

Taking a sip, the whisky has a creamy feel that leads one to a peach cream flavor, with a dash of salt. It would be suggestive of a concoction that might go into a ice cream making machine, were it not for the light note of oily creosote nestled into the middle, creating a nice little contrast. The finish extends out of that creosote aspect, running mild, a little dry, and a little spicy.

The Price
The recommended price in the U.S. is $43, making this a rather good bargain buy for anyone who can look past the brand name (i.e. it’s not a famous blend or single malt brand) and focus on what is in the bottle.