Glenfarclas £511.19s.0d Family Reserve
ABV: 43%
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Distillery
Cask type: Predominantly First Fill Sherry Butts (12,000 btl.)

 

Colour: Golden amber.
Nose: Lovely sweet on the nose with delicate sherry flavours and a rich aroma of fruit - plums, mirabelle and apricots. Lots of honey with a touch of mint and toffee. Lingering spices emerge with oak, nutmeg and a whiff of fine cinnamon.
Palate: Surprisingly dry and less sweet on the palate than expected from the lovely nose. Flavours of ripe apricots and orange marmalade are complemented by a significantly spicy note of oak, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and black pepper. Very warm and dry in the mouth. Less sweet with a slightly earthy touch towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long and slightly sweet with a delicate note of honey. Gets drier on the tail with nutty flavours, cinnamon and nutmeg.
With water: Water enhances the fruitiness on the nose with plums, peaches and luscious apricots. There's also more sherry coming through, nicely balanced with cinnamon and oak. The spiciness significantly tames the fruitiness on the palate, bringing cinnamon, nutmeg oak and black pepper to the fore. Dry and still warm. The finish is long, warm, spicy and very dry on the tail.
Comments: This special release bottling to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the family ownership of the Glenfarclas distillery is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A lovely sweet fruitiness with rich flavours of sherry, well balanced with a delicate spiciness on the nose, but surprisingly dry, spicy and barely sweet on the palate. The spiciness is quite dominant in the mouth with a long and dry finish. To me, I miss the classic sherry aroma Glenfarclas is quite famous for. Too dry and spicy in my opinion.

 

I thank the German importer Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG for the sample!


Glenfarclas 25yo, 2014, New Label
ABV: 43%
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Distillery
Cask type: Sherry Cask

 

Colour: Deep gold to amber.
Nose: Very fruity start on the nose with ripe apricots, orange marmalade, and plums, perfectly wrapped in classic sherry flavours. Lovely malty notes emerge with honey, red berries, and nutts. Touch of coffee, dark chocolate and a whiff of mint in the back. A gorgeous and complex nose!
Palate: Rich, round and delicious with a perfect depth. Sherry, dried fruit, liquorice, apricot jam and delicate coffee notes. Soft but intense with pleasant nutty flavours and gentle smoke in the aftertaste. Slightly dry with cocoa, tender spiced oak and ginger towards the finish. Very enjoyable.
Finish: A long, sweet and complex finish. Delicate malty flavours mingle with dried fruit, chocolate coated-raisins, acacia honey, slightly bitter walnuts, cocoa, spiced oak and hints of smoke.
With water: The sweetness continues on the nose when adding a few drops of water. Sherry flavours, creamy notes of malt, toffee, hazelnut and white coffee. Lovely creamy and velvety on the palate with sweet and fruity flavours, sherry, dark fruit and a perfect touch of mild spiciness. The finish is long, sweet, creamy with a slight hint of dry cocoa on the tail.
Comments: This is a great after dinner malt. Complex, rich and highly enjoyable. Full of delicate sweet, fruity and creamy flavours, perfectly balanced with lovely spices and a slightly bitter touch of chocolate, nutts and cocoa. If you haven't had an all time favourite Speyside single malt yet, here it is! Highly recommended!


Glenfarclas 18yo, Christmas Single Malt, 1995-2014
ABV: 46%
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Distillery
Cask type: Refill Sherry Butts (#6855-6861, 2004 btl.)

 

Colour: Amber.
Nose: The nose starts off with delicious flavours of baked red apples, vanilla cream and a pleasant touch of sherry. Subtle notes of banana and orange arrive with cinnamon and lingering almonds in the back. Very appealing!
Palate: Smooth, rich and lovely sweet with backed red apples, custard, almonds and a touch of raisins - Wiener Apfelstrudel! Yellow fruits with banana, orange, honey and tender sherry flavour. Gets drier on the palate with spiced oak, cinnamon, and a gentle touch of almonds and hazelnuts. Very enjoyable.
Finish: The finish is medium long and sweet with sticky honey and stewed yellow fruit. Dry with a delicate nuttiness (walnuts), spiced oak, cinnamon and white pepper. Warm and smooth.
With water: Lots of glue-like flavours on the nose with a dash of water. Sherry shines through, complemented by lingering yellow fruit and a gentle citric note. Creamy and fruity on the palate with lemons, oranges and sherry. A slightly warming spiciness arrives with almonds, cinnamon and subtle oak. The finish is medium long, sweet, with creamy vanilla and lingering spices on the tail. Very delicate.
Comments: A pleasantly harmonious dram with a superb Christmas aroma profile. Well balanced, with character and a lovely complexity. Water brings out a tangy fruitiness. Smooth, rich, round, and dangerously quaffable.


Glenfarclas 15yo, Distillery Bottling
ABV: 46%
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: °
Bottling: Distillery
Cask type: Sherry Casks

 

Colour: Rich golden amber.
Nose: Very intense on the nose with powerful sherry, dried fruit, figs and sugared raisins. Creamy with honey and tender notes of butterscotch. With time, orange marmalade, crème brûlée, leather and furniture polish emerge with a spicy touch of oak and cinnamon in the back. Amazingly complex.
Palate: Full bodied and rich. Sherry shines through all the way. Sweet with lovely Christmas cake, Demerara sugar and rum-coated raisins, accompanied by malted barley, orange peel and delicious walnut notes. Hints of polished wood, dark chocolate and fine cinnamon linger towards the finish. Very enjoyable.
Finish: The finish is long, sweet and gloriously sherried. Smooth, complex with lingering walnuts, subtle smoke, and cinnamon. Spicy and distinguished.
With water: Quite lively and vibrant on the nose with tamed sweetness, dried fruits and delicious spiced oak. Smooth and creamy on the palate. Water draws out the sweetness, bringing more spiciness to the fore. The finish is long, sherried with oak, pepper, gentle smoke and cinnamon. Very delicate.
Comments: An astonishing dram from Glenfarclas. It's wonderfully rich, huge, and very well balanced. A classic sherry with Christmas cake, dried fruit and delicate spices, which makes this a fantastic winter dram. A dangerously drinkable sherried all-rounder. This stunning mouth filler is an absolute bargain for the money. I love it!

 

I thank the German importer Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG for sample and photograph!


Glenfarclas 105, Cask Strength
ABV: 60%
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: °
Bottling: Distillery
Cask type: Sherry Casks

 

Colour: Amber
Nose: Robust, full-bodied with great depth. Definitely on the sherry side. Creamy with caramel, marzipan and dried fruit - melon, apple and peach. Leathery notes and cinnamon emerge with a touch of coffee and caramelised walnuts in the back. Amazingly complex.
Palate: Rich and assertive. A massive load of delicate sherry flavours, dried fruit, and hints of Armagnac. Sweet at start then warm spices and walnut burst. Cinnamon, ginger and peppery oak. Velvety, deep and tongue-coating. Very enjoyable.
Finish: Long and sweet with dried fruit and raisins. Wonderfully warming and with a lingering nuttiness. Slightly smoky end, tingling and dry.
With water: Quite lively and vibrant on the nose with sherry, dried fruits, raisins, and Demerara sugar, complemented by lingering spiced oak. Very smooth even silky on the palate with sherry, lemonade, and prickling oak. The fruitiness and hot spiciness is tamed by the water significantly. The finish is a bit shorter with tamed fruitiness and less spices. Very delicate.
Comments: A wonderfully rich and smooth whisky with makes the 105 dangerously palatable even at cask strength. All flavours you would expect from a great Glenfarclas. Robust, deep and very well balanced. Being so warming, this is the perfect dram after a cold walk out. The best “Bang for your buck” whisky I ever came across.

 

I thank the German importer Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG for sample and photograph!


Glenfarclas 1996, Premium Edition 2015
ABV: 46%
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Distillery - Limited Rare Bottling
Cask type: Oloroso Sherry Casks

 

Colour: Deep amber.
Nose: The nose starts off with sherry, dried dark fruit, dates and figs. There's delicate cinnamon with a whiff of chocolate and a gentle touch of pepper in the background. Very round and complex.
Palate: Rich and intense. Sweet sherry aroma, multilayered dried fruit, and Demerara sugar mingle with a reasonable amount of delicate spice - pepper, oak, and cinnamon. Lingering roasted almonds arrive with dark chocolate and a pleasant nuttiness towards the finish. Spiciness doubles with a second sip. Very enjoyable.
Finish: The finish is medium long and sweet with dark fruit, sticky plums, and herbal honey. Lingering nutty flavours and subtle cinnamon on the tail.
With water: Quite lively and vibrant on the nose with more fruit coming through and gentle spice in the back. Very fresh. There's roasted almonds on the palate and a tender sweetness with significantly more spicy influence. The finish is long and spicy with a sticky sweetness of dark fruit on the tongue. Very delicate.
Comments: A classic sherried Speyside whisky. Well balanced with pleasant sherry, dark fruit and lingering spice. Nicely complex with lots of character one could expect from an almost 20 years old whisky. A delicious dram and a perfect companion for a creamy pud. I'd prefer it neat.

 

I thank the German importer Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG for sample and photograph!


Glenfarclas 21yo, 2006, New Label

ABV: 43%
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Distillery
Cask type: Sherry cask


Colour: Amber
Nose: The nose starts off with sherry, dried fruit, blueberry and gooseberry, Christmas cake and butterscotch. Lingering vanilla arrives with a touch of citrus notes. There's a whiff of delicate peat smoke in the background. It needs time to develop its fill aroma. Very complex on the nose.
Palate: Rich and delicious. Lots of sherry, dried fruit, raisins, liquorice, crème brûlée and delicate toffee notes. Soft with pleasant malt and a slight smokiness in the aftertaste. Creamy even chewable, with nice oak spice. Very enjoyable.
Finish: Powerful and lightly peaty with a long finish. Sweet toffee, honey, malt and lingering liquorice with delicate nutty flavours and smooth spice on the tail.
With water: Stays sweet with sherry and ripe fruit on the nose. Some floral notes, maybe heather is coming through as well. More powerful than neat. Quite vigorous on the palate with significant more spice, oak and white pepper, even a bit ginger arrives. Sweet and fruity with a long, lingering malty and spicy finish.
Comments: An excellent sherried Speyside whisky with a great balance of sherry, fruit and oak spice. Very smooth, palatable and thick with a great value for money. Nicely complex with lots of character. I like it!


I thank Milton Salgado for the photograph!