T’was a winter’s Sunday as I ventured out northbound to conquer a couple of new hills. My sights were set on Little Conval and Meikle Conval, which were manageable in the available daytime hours, without having to get up early on God’s day.
As tends to be the case, however, breakfast at home resulted in a need for a pee-stop before I was able to set off vertically; and since the starting point was a cosy town (rather than a forest carpark) I thought I might just balance out the tank with a coffee in return for an actual bathroom.
Smartphone Maps advised of a couple of places that would be open, but The Dufftown Glassworks looked the more enticing – until I peered through the window into what seemed like a very minimalistic interior. I locked eyes with someone inside and so felt inclined to enter.
It turned out that besides the single table surrounded by a 4-set of comfy seats beside the counter at the front and artwork all around, there was another – not much bigger – room at the back with a handful of tables, and only one taken by a couple on their way out. I ordered my Mocha, then asked for the way to the bathroom, which was a mini-trek to another building at the back – easy enough without a GPS though.
When I returned, my coffee was served; I am not a fan of latte glasses but appreciated the themed presentation.
The Mocha was on the hot side, but just about drinkable, and the concoction was pretty well blended. In terms of flavour though, it wasn’t quite there – it was lacking that punchy chocolate sweetness, instead tasting somewhat buttery.
I was done with it quickly enough and there was not much left to do but to get up, pay and be on my way. While this was certainly a flying visit, I got a feeling of genuine warmth from the front-of-house couple – the feeling you’d get from business owners loving what they do. While not the most memorable of taste experiences, I would not hesitate to pay this place a visit again if I was wandering about Dufftown and in need of a pick-me-up. You should too!
Price
Mocha: £2.60
Verdict
A good coffee in a friendly café – worth a visit!
To learn more about the Glasshouse, visit their website here.
A Black Spot 
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