Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

Glenfarclas 17 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfarclas 17 Year
43% ABV
$100
Website

What the Distiller Says
100% Oloroso sherry cask maturation.
Hints of oak, complexity but finely balanced. Combines the smoothness of our younger whiskies with the greater depth of our older expressions.

Tasting Notes
Colour: Rich amber.
Nose: Complex, with distinctive butterscotch and sherried fruit.
Flavour: Big, full-flavoured, with excellent balance, develops slowly, full of sherry sweet malty tones.
Finish: Long lasting and smooth, with a hint of spice and sherry sweetness.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Bright, fruity w/ kiwi, peaches, honey, and cherry pie; subtle smoke with worn leather and a hint of rubber.
Palate:  Sweet sherry fruit salad with a creamy mouthfeel at the start, sharpening to tart cherries with milk chocolate, pepper spice, and oak.
Finish:  Long with a fruity sweetness trailing some smokey notes.
Comments:  This is lighter in color than the 15 (just a shade darker than the 12 yr), and a different beast all together. Where it seems a steady progression from 10 to 12 to 15, my first thought was to wonder if this might be aged or finished in a different wood as it seems to be brighter and less spicy. This also didn’t open up nearly as well to water.  Nothing objectionable of off-putting, but left me wanting the 15 yr.
Rating: Average

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Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength
60% ABV
$85 – $100
Website

What the Distiller Says
Bold & Punchy
A great whisky holding all the flavours of all the Glenfarclas in one glass. Don’t be afraid of the strength and order a 210, if you dare! The smoothness makes the 105 drinkable at cask strength, but I would suggest adding a little water, to fully explore its’ great depth

Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep peaty-gold.
Nose: Complex, oaky, apples & pears and a tempting dark toffee sweetness.
Flavour: Dry and assertive, develops quickly to reveal a rich spiciness, combined with a hint of oak and sherried fruit.
Finish: Amazingly smooth for the strength, wonderful warming with a lingering spiciness, yet very rounded.

What Gary Says
Nose:  A tad thin and hot, oaky, cigar boxes with fennel and just a hint of fruit.
Palate:  Intense cinnamon, peaches, honey with a peppery spice; a bit of water brings out some chocolate notes and tamps the spice just a bit.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying.
Comments:  The nose is a bit odd to me; usually higher proof drams like this have an intense nose but I didn’t get much beyond alcohol and oak. The palate delivered that intense flavor, and this opens up beautifully with some water. The nose also improved, but was still more muted than the palate in comparison. I love how it clouds up in the glass with a bit of water too. You may be wondering “Why 105 when it is 120 proof?” The 105 name refers to the British Proof, which equates to 60% ABV (thanks Google!) Too few cask strength offerings out there in single malts; enjoying this leaves me wondering why.
Rating: Stands Out

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Glenfarclas 15 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Glenfarclas 15 Year
46% ABV
$60 – $70 (not currently distributed in the US)
Website

What the Distiller Says
We bottle this at 46% simply because my grandfather preferred it at this strength. It’s still a family favourite. This is perfect for single malt enthusiasts.

Tasting Notes
Colour: A rich golden amber.
Nose: Complex, sherried, light butterscotch aromas, with a hint of dried fruit.
Flavour: Full bodied with a superb balance of sherried sweetness and malty tones.
Finish: Long lasting, gloriously sherried, sweet and distinguished.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Rich and thick, plums, toffee, rice pudding with charred oak, and a sharp smokey note; just a tad hot.
Palate:  Sweet, thick sherry with candied pecans, bitter chocolate, nutmeg; smokey with a hint of tobacco in the end.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with a tobacco note lingering.
Comments:  This is darker in color than the 12 yr. While I prefer the nose on the 12 yr, on the palate this is very nice – well balanced, a bit less sweet with more bite. Some water opens it up nicely – tamping down the spice and bringing the sweet to the front. Overall I prefer drinking this over the 12, which is unfortunate since this doesn’t seem to be offered in the US.
Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Glenfarclas 12 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfarclas 12 Year
43% ABV
$47 – $55
Website

What the Distiller Says
100% Oloroso Sherry Cask Maturation.
An excellent introduction to the distillery style – for those who enjoy a sherried whisky.
To be consumed neat or with a drop of water.
A great accompaniment to smoked salmon or Ibérico Ham.

Tasting Notes
Colour: Vibrant, amber-gold.
Nose: Fresh and beautifully light, sherried fruit combined with a tempting spicy sweetness and a hint of sappy oak.
Flavour: Full-bodied with a delightful sherried fruit, oak and delicious sweet sensations.
Finish: Long and flavoursome, with a lingering spiciness.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Rich, thick nose of dark sherried fruit; plums, figs, pears with a note of balsamic vinegar; almonds dusted with cocoa.
Palate:  Rich sweetness, chocolate covered raisins with an earthy spiciness; a bit of mossy smoke with a hint of ginger at the end.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying, with trailing cinnamon.
Comments:  Wow – what a difference a couple of years (and a few proof points) make! We’re conditioned to expect single malts to improve with age, but I was (pleasantly) surprised by how much of a step up this was from the 10 yr. A delicious sherried highland single malt; with more of a spice edge than is typical of the style (which I very much appreciate).
Rating: Stands Out

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Glenfarclas 10 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfarclas 10 Year
40% ABV
$40
Website

What the Distiller Says
100% Oloroso Sherry Cask Maturation.
Gloriously smooth, yet with the depth and finish you would normally expect of a much older dram.
A wonderfully sherried whisky and an excellent aperitif.

Tasting Notes
Colour: Vibrant, straw-gold.
Nose: Tempting sherry-sweet malty tones combine with delicate aromas, releasing subtle spices. Warming the glass reveals honey, vanilla and pear drops.
Flavour:Delicately light, with a mouth-watering combination of maltiness, sherry sweetness. Hints of drived fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves tempt the taste buds further.
Finish: Long, smooth and spicy.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Sherried raisins, green apples with an underlying heather/earthiness; a hint of solvent.
Palate:  Sweet start, malty with honey, bits of dark chocolate and kiwi; sharpens to a peppery vegetal (maybe mashed potatoes?) note with just a hint of smoke.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, and drying.
Comments:  This was my introduction to Glenfarclas – starting with the youngest expression in their “aged range” (not sure how old the 105 Cask Strength is, reports are it is younger than 10 yrs). While nothing off-putting, I thought it was a bit thin – and not as fruity on the palate as I’d expect from the nose. Maybe at a higher proof this would be more up my alley. The 12 yr is a significant step up from this.
Rating: Average

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