Speyside

Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt 40 Years Old

46% ABV
$500 (when released; current 43% retails for $900+)
Website

What the Distillery Says

Tasting Notes
Colour: Autumn Gold.
Nose: The Glenfarclas 40 Years Old, now at 43%, has a fresh sweetness and fruity Turkish delight aroma on the nose. Its freshness and power is similar to the first time you open a bag of freshly ground java coffee beans.
Flavour: Sweet taste, followed by a peppering of caramel and chocolate explosions. Sherry power creeping its way to the back of your mouth releasing dark chocolate, raisins and sultanas.
Finish: It ends with a sweet, crisp, dry & lingering finish.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, thick, intense fruitcake and mincemeat pie full of raisins, figs, stewed apples, pears, plums in an old English library; old leather furniture, pipe tobacco and musty smoke.
Palate:  Rich sherried fruit, coffee cake, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, oak, dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Finish:  Moderately long with lingering raisins, clove and oak.
Comments:  Damn this pour is dark! This is one of those drams where I actually prefer nosing it over drinking it. Don’t get me wrong – nothing offputting on the palate (for 40 yrs old, the oak isn’t as prominent as I’d expect – which I appreciate!) The nose is probably in my top 5 favorites with such depth, complexity and balance. The palate is very nice, but not in my top 5 – and or even top 10. Don’t get me wrong – it is really good, but less complex than the nose led me to expect. This sample was from the higher-proof version (this was first released at 46%, not sure when they brought it down to 43%), and from what I’ve read this was initially a bargain at around $500 (currently much more). That’s a lotta cheddar for a bottle of whiskey – although thankfully since I like smelling it more than drinking it, I’m gonna stretch this sample out for a while..

Rating: Stands Out

Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Red Wine Cask Finish
19 yrs old

40% ABV
$165-$180
Website
NOTE: If the link above takes you to their homepage, scroll down and select “United Kingdom” as the country.

What the Distiller Says

We created the third expression in our Age of Discovery Collection to commemorate the 1831 voyage of the HMS Beagle. The Beagle travelled around the globe and landed on the east coast of South America, allowing Charles Darwin to collect fossils that would lead to the development of his famous theory of evolution.

Aged 19 years, this edition is finished in oak casks that were once used to produce the complex, velvety wines of South America. The result is an extraordinarily rich single malt with exceptional smoothness, complemented by warm, spicy notes.

Celebrating the spirit of discovery, this expression can be found exclusively in selected Travel Retail outlets.

Tasting Notes
COLOUR: Rich gold with a hint of ruby.
NOSE: Toasted marshmallow with red berry and vanilla oak tannin. Ripe fruits and a hint of woody spice.
TASTE: Spicy notes on first taste, deep and smooth with a velvety sweetness. Rich oak notes and berry sweetness.
FINISH: Sweet with a long, lingering tannin.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Dried fruit, specifically berries and grapes, toffee, leather and subtle smoke.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet, grapes, cherries and dark fruit, bits of chocolate, vanilla, pecans, and a hint of ginger.
Finish:  Moderately long, a tad drying but still on the sweet side.
Comments: This was the biggest departure of the three, with more influence from the cask finish standing out. Quite nice with the fruit notes prominent, and easy to drink. If you’re not wanting to explore the subtle differences of the three, and are just looking for one that is more unique – this would be the one I’d pick; although the price tag is a little steep for me.

Rating: Stands Out

Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Madeira Cask Finish
19 yrs old

40% ABV
$165-$180
Website

What the Distiller Says

In homage to the intrepid Portuguese voyagers who went on to change our understanding of the new world, we created Glenfiddich’s first ever 19 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky.

Finished in fine, aged Madeira wine casks from an independent island winery dating back to 1850 we named this expression, Glenfiddich Age of Discovery.

An earthy, bright whisky with a warmth that fades to long sweetness. The first time we’ve used Madeira casks for incredible, rich depth.

Tasting Notes
COLOUR: Antique gold.
NOSE: Deep earthy aromas of sweet ripe fig and orange marmalade create a backdrop to bright notes –fresh gooseberry and grapes ripening on the vine.
TASTE: Rich, spicy cinnamon and crushed black pepper rest on a deep earthy base. Caramelised fruits, crystallised ginger, raisins and hints of dry oak unravel. A satisfying, silky smooth, almost oily texture.
FINISH: Dry with warmth that fades into sweet marmalade notes.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet, dark fruit (apricots, raisins, dates, figs), caramel and a sharper spice note; hints of clove and cinnamon over oak.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet and fruity, cherries with apricots, dusted with cinnamon and clove, spice notes kicking in stronger at the back.
Finish:  Moderately long, peaches and honey with white pepper.
Comments: Compared with the Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Bourbon Cask Reserve, this is also quite nice, but a fairly subtle difference. The finish here isn’t heavy handed, which in one respect I appreciate, but on the other hand – you hope for something a bit more “different”. If you’re a big Glenfiddich fan, and a whiskey geek to boot, this box set with the 200 mL might be worthwhile to appreciate the subtle differences. But if you’re hoping for a big change, you may be disappointed.

Rating: Stands Out

Glenfiddich Age of Discovery – Bourbon Cask Reserve
19 yrs old

40% ABV
$165-$180
Website

What the Distiller Says

The Great American Rivers once transported fine oak casks filled with American bourbon towards New Orleans. Bourbon casks could only be used once, their aromas and flavours released quickly, without being exhausted by long maturation. Excellent for ageing single malt Scotch.

Our second release in the Age of Discovery collection and a first for us, Bourbon Cask Reserve is inspired by that history. It is our only expression exclusively matured in American bourbon casks, for 19 years. Creating a refined balance of spicy sweetness and rich dried fruit flavours.

Tasting Notes
COLOUR: Autumn barley fields.
NOSE: Warm, crunchy toffee and deep citrus notes. Marmalade on toast with fine orange liqueur balanced by dry, almost smoky oak tannin.
TASTE: Intriguing layers of light tannin, underpinned by rich notes of vanilla pod, fine leather and Havana tobacco. Develops into a sweet, velvety mouth-feel with spicy hints of cardamom and nutmeg.
FINISH: Warm, delightful long finish.

NOTE: Richard reviewed this about 5 yrs ago (including his notes below as well) from a sample provided. Normally I wouldn’t post a duplicate review – but his was done as a new release at the time, and this is done more as part 1 of a 3 part series.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet, dried fruit with vanilla, musty oak, subtle baking spices and milk chocolate.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet and fruity; canned pears, apricots with nutmeg and allspice.
Finish:  Moderately long with pears and hints of cracked pepper.
Comments: Richard picked up this “Age of Discovery” box set while visiting the motherland, which included a 200 ml bottle of the Bourbon Cask Reserve, the Maderira Cask Finish, and the Red Wine Cask Finish. I thought it would be interesting to taste these three together to compare/contrast, as they are each 19yr Glenfiddich. This is the first of the three, and a very nice dram. On the sweet side of things but not cloyingly so, and nothing off putting. Would have liked a bit more spice to balance things out, but using this as my baseline for exploring the other two. While nice, this doesn’t hit me squarely enough to shell out the dough for a bottle.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Pears, the malty whiff of an IPA, and orange-mint chewing gum.
Palate: A hint of sweet vanilla at first, then Christmas spices, old rough leather like a pair of old buckskin work gloves.
Finish: Very mellow, wet toothpicks, mint notes, fading to old cigar.
Comments: This is a very interesting dram. Personally, if I was going to spend $150 on a bottle of Glenfiddich it would be the 21 year old finished in rum casks. That’s not a knock on this bottle, it’s just not the best Glenfiddich has to offer at the price point. It’s still an interesting iteration and a nice glass of scotch. However, I think this would be more for the Glenfiddich devotee rather than the uninitiated.

Rating: Stands Out