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Glenfarclas
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Glenfarclas distillery
was first granted a licence in 1836 when owned and run by Robert
Hay, but it was purchased in 1865 by John Grant for the princely
sum of just under £512. It continues to be independently owned
and run today by the Grant family as John's Great-Great Grandson
John L.S. Grant is the current Chairman.
Glenfarclas is a Speyside distillery, located in Ballindalloch,
Banffshire and as stated above, currently operational and
independently owned by the Grant family and in 1973 was one of
the first distilleries to open a visitor centre.
It is
also renowned for a high quality sherry cask policy throughout
the range of bottlings. |
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Glenfarclas operates six stills and they are some of the largest
ones on Speyside.
General whisky characteristics: Rich, full-bodied, sherry,
wood and dark fruits |
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Distillery Bottlings (OB) |
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Glenfarclas,
10y, 40% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Light oak
Nose:
Initially leafy with a slightly farmy
maltiness. The malt soon fades as a hint of liquorice root joins
the leafiness. Eventually a slightly citrus vanilla appears,
maybe even pineapple.
Palate: There's some
definite pineapple on the palate, alongside liquorice root and
all wrapped in autumn leaves. I also detect a suggestion of
creamy vanilla.
Finish: Medium and slightly dry right at the end.
Overall Impression:
A quite different Glenfarclas with that leafiness, citrus
pineapple and vanilla, but also a good solid everyday whisky.
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Glenfarclas,
12y, 43% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
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Glass: Spiegelau
Colour: Dark gold
Nose:
Malt with hints of candy floss and butterscotch
Palate: Very smooth
raisins and butterscotch with some malt. This soon engulfs the
palate in spicy toasted almonds before gradually fading into a
very long, warming finish.
Finish: Long and warming
Overall Impression:
Lighter than the much older flavour & sherry bombs that
Glenfarclas produce, but still a very enjoyable winter warmer.
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Glenfarclas, 15y, 46% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Rich oak / light amber
Nose:
Very aromatic wood with a hint of cognac. In
fact this soon becomes quite floral in a coastal, sea-air kind
of way. Further development after some minutes brings a herb
garden and then dark fruits.
Palate: A very creamy
mouth-feel which initially offers dark fruits by way of dark
cherries and plums, followed by hints of leather and then a
suggestion of coconut right at the end.
Finish: Long, lingering and rich.
Overall Impression:
An excellent whisky and extremely good value for money!
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Glenfarclas,
17y, 43% ABV
Apparently a
special edition for Travel Retail & limited markets
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
"Dram-atics" live review
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Rich gold
Nose:
Aromatic wood, high quality shoe leather and lightly smoked
butterscotch.
Palate: Smooth, aromatic
malt, freshly sawn wood in a field of violets and lavendar,
slightly smoky dark fruits.
Finish: Medium to long, smooth and aromatically fruity.
Overall Impression:
A very aromatic sherried dram with good complexity and great
flavours without being overly heavy. I like it!
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Glenfarclas,
17y, 43% ABV
A different edition
or 'batch' to the 17y above.
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
"Dram-atics" live review
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Teak
Nose:
Aromatic aged oak with a slight hint of those lovely new Italian
leather shoes and some dark fruits in the form of raisins and
plums.
Palate: My initial
impression was one of a slightly watery mouth-feel, but at the same time it's very smooth and aromatic with just a suggestion of
fresh violets in a very positive way.
Finish: Delightfully long extension of the palate.
Overall Impression:
This appears to be a different bottling to the 17y for travel
retail which I tasted in the above note and the only suggestion
of difference between the labels is the barcode on the reverse
one which is vertical on the travel retail edition, horizontal
on this one. This is also slightly more delicate in flavours
than the other and if anything I like it more!
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Glenfarclas,
25y, 43% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Deep oak / sunny amber
Nose:
Very aromatic, almost perfumed dark fruits
and wood. We're talking figs, dates and plums all possibly
marinated in a cream sherry, all of which offers a great depth
of aromas.
Palate: A traditional
(English) Christmas selection of fruits and nuts, heavy on the
nuts (almond, brazil & walnut). Very energetic!
Finish: Long, very long and rich.
Overall Impression:
Almost one of my "Greats", but just not quite, although it is a
truly excellent whisky and one you really must try!
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Glenfarclas,
105, 60% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
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Glass: Spiegelau
Colour: Rich gold, almost
amber
Nose:
Perfumed leather and old oak. Very aromatic but still full
bodied and quite heavy, getting more intensely aromatic as
minutes pass.
Palate: Incredibly
smooth before the tingling explosion bursts across the palate.
Lots of dark fruit with hints of rich nuts.
With
5 drops of water in 2cl: The leather and oak have faded from
the nose, leaving it more aromatic. The palate is much more
intense as it would almost appear to burst into flames.
With
4 more drops of water (in about 1cl): The fire is subdued a
little, allowing the more aromatic characteristics to dominate.
It now has very aromatic leather as an array of flora vie for
superiority.
Overall Impression:
A big bang for your bucks, but be sure to add some water for
best results!
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Rich dark
amber
Nose: Aged
oak and dark fruits are abundantly present on the nose, but
so is something slightly floral which gives this a lovely depth,
rather than great complexity. After a few minutes there's a hint
of wax furniture polish and then a little later comes that fine
Italian leather.
Palate: Lots
of dark fruits (currants, plums, raisins) are again evident
on the palate, as are some mixed nuts after a few seconds, but
this is pretty intrusive at 60% and I'm sure it will benefit fom
a few drops of water.
With
4 drops of water: The wood and leather are immediately
concentrated on the nose whereas the fruit and wood are more
prominent on the palate. The fruit is also quite a bit sweeter
with the drops of water.
With
4 more drops of water: Massive aromatic oak on the nose and
nuts, wood and sherry on the palate, but now with a little more
pepper, albeit less intrusively.
With
a further 4 drops of water: Much lighter nose and more
floral elements on the palate, although still with lots of wood.
Finish: Very long, extremely so with water.
Overall Impression:
I just can't help but say this is an
excellent whisky for this time of year. It personnifies the
festive
season with dark fruits, nuts, lots of wood, hints of sherry and
something quite aromatic. Just settle down,
enjoy it and may all your Christmasses be 105.
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Glass: Bugatti Kelch
Colour: Very dark, teak.
Nose: Ahh yes, sherry,
leather, musty old books and old wood.
Palate: This is warming.
Sherry and wood in a deep-buttoned leather chair, with just a
hint of orange.
Finish: Long, very long and repetitive.
Overall Impression: This
is what I call my definitive 'Christmas Day dram'. Just imagine
the scene; relaxing in an Olde English country house after
enjoying Christmas lunch, sitting in your favourite
deep-buttoned
leather chair, in a study surrounded by musty
old antique books on shelves of old oak. This whisky has it all!
Old books, wood, leather and a glass of Christmas sherry just to
complete the party.
Author's Note: The wood and leather are most prominent in a
newly opened bottle. After a few days they recede into the
background as the sherry comes to the fore.
Revisiting an old friend: It's that time of year again and
how could I possibly run an Advent-urous series without
revisiting one of my definitive Christmas dram?
Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Amber
Nose:
Slightly musty wood, dark fruits (primarily figs and plums)
and faint violet giving a rather fragrant floral presence which
certainly wasn't present last time.
Palate: Floral wood, dark fruits comprising plums, figs and
raisins and just a touch of something rather aromatic and
slightly perfumed. Perhaps lavendar?
Finish: Long and slightly dry right at the end.
Overall Impression: I speak so often about this being one of
my definitive Christmas whiskies and it is still so, but this
dram was from the last third of a bottle which has been some
time and as such, it seems to have totally lost the leather
effects and gained some more floral and perfumed ones which make
it slightly different, but still excellent!
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Glenfarclas,
Vintage 1989,
distilled 4th Oct. 1989, bottled 26 Aug. 2002, 43% ABV
Oloroso sherry cask,
first filling, bottle No. 1174 of 1800
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
to €€€€€
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Glass: Spiegelau
Colour: Rich, polished,
very dark old oak.
Nose:
Slightly floral raisins, currants and prunes in an old oak vat
with hints of very slightly smoky leather.
Palate: Very smooth,
prunes and currants swimming in a cocktail of sherry and port,
with a cognac in a marzipan boat floating alongside.
Finish: Medium
Overall Impression:
Smooth, rich sophistication. I like this very much, but still
not quite as much as the 1987 Quarter Casks which is sublime.
Whisky & Chocolate:
Sarotti No.1, 72%
cacao with orange Combination:
The
chocolate is wonderful, as is the Glenfarclas, but unfortunately
the strength of flavours in this whisky just overpower the
chocolate and condemn it to insignificance.
Sarotti No.1, 75%
cacao Combination:
The 75%
version of this chocolate, with tiny pieces of cacao is a far
better partner for this Glenfarclas as both have similarly
powerful flavours. They harmonise on the palate and the
chocolate seems to not only lengthen, but add an extra dimension
to the finish. A good pairing.
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Glenfarclas,
2002,
distilled 25.4.2002, bottled 18.8.2011, 58% ABV
First fill Oloroso
Casks Nos.1575 & 1576, bottle No. 475 of 630
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Very dark teak
Nose:
Toasted aged oak marinated in a mixture of
sherry, amaretto and cassis. Then just a light sprinkling of
rubberiness.
Palate: Rich and creamy
sherried wood, hints of lighter fruit amongst blackcurrant and
black cherries. Then slightly rubbery nuts leading into the
finish.
Finish: Long and rich.
Overall Impression:
Excellent, truly excellent and great value for money.
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Glenfarclas,
"Movember 2011",
Sept 2002 - Sept 2011, 9y, 53% ABV
Two Oloroso sherry
casks
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
A special bottling
for Master of Malt's "Movember 2011"
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Glowing dark teak
Nose:
Lightly smoked aged oak with hints of mocca
and then intense oil of orange. Also slightly musty or dusty.
Palate: The oil of
orange flavours immediately aim at the sides of the palate
whilst traditional dark fruits concentrate on the middle. This
is slightly dry but very mouth-watering as a suggestion of
nuttiness leads into the finish.
With
3 drops of water: Lighter and slightly more fragrant wood on
the nose. The palate is slightly fresher with less of that
fruitiness.
Finish: Long and lingering, even longer with water.
Overall Impression:
Excellent, truly excellent, but the water wasn't really
necessary.
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Independent Bottlings (IB) |
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Norse Cask,
Rechlerich 1964, (Glenfarclas), distilled 1964,
40y, 53.5% ABV
Sent to
me as a sample to try blind
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Dark and rich teak.
Nose: Rich, very rich dark fruits, old wood, leather
and Pirelli P1.
Palate: Rich toasted wood and dark fruits. This is
extremely rich and
very, very intense.
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With 3 drops of water: Extremely aromatic rich wood
on the nose, spicier palate with wood, rich marzipan and
more dark fruits.
Finish: Very long, does it ever end?
Overall Impression: Very old, very intense and a very good
sherry monster. Don't expect to taste anything else for a couple
of hours afterwards.
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Weiser, 'Bridge
of Avon',
Glenfarclas, distilled 1989,
bottled 2005, 55.8% ABV
bourbon
cask No. 12569
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Nose:
Raspberries and custard
Palate: Sweet floral
spices
Finish: Long
Overall Impresison: A
quite different Glenfarclas due to the bourbon, as opoosed to
sherry, cask. Quite light, floral and dry. |
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