Glenfarclas 12yo

Glenfarclas 12yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, black pepper, malted grains, orange peel, cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns syrupy, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, cloves, raisins, cinnamon, malted grains, coffee, dark chocolate, hints of sourdough bread. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, dark chocolate, coffee, lemon sweets, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Typical Glenfarclas, sweet, raisiny, chocolatey, oily spirit. Perhaps this one has more obvious malty notes, but it shares character with the other ‘Farclases I’ve had. I enjoyed this.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenfarclas 25yo

Glenfarclas 25yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Light amber 
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, red grapes, apricot jam, cotton sheets, mangoes, pomegranates, hints of photocopy paper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, mouth coating, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Red grapes, cotton sheets, honey, mangoes, pomegranates, milk chocolate, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Red grapes, raisins, honey, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Well integrated whisky, lots of chocolate and raisins, high with a feinty edge. Fruit becomes more prominent on the tongue. I’d have liked more complexity, it’s quite straightforward for a 25yo whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Cadenhead Speyside 18yo 2001/2020 Virtual Open Day 2020

Cadenhead Speyside 18yo 2001/2020 Virtual Open Day 2020

WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber
52.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, roast pork, cloves, soy sauce, winter melon, hints of wintergreen. With water, honey, milk chocolate, soy sauce, cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, gooseberries, cloves, fresh baked bread, wintergreen, malted grains, hints of photocopy paper. With water, honey, coffee, gooseberries, hints of white grapes. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, malted grains, cloves, honey. 

Comments: 

Sweet yet meaty and savoury. I’d have said this was a blend if it hadn’t been labelled as a single malt - it’s got some characters that remind me of Caol Ila, as well as the herbal raisiny ‘Farclas, which of course it is.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenfarclas 21yo 95 Proof (TWE Exclusive)

Glenfarclas 21yo 95 Proof (TWE Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark bronze
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, red grapes, dark chocolate, brass polish, sandalwood, rum and raisin, honey. With water, honey, dark chocolate, vanilla, carrot cake. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, oily, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, sandalwood, malted grains, dark chocolate, figs, shortcrust pastry, hints of brass polish. With water, dark chocolate, vanilla, shortcrust pastry, coffee. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, red grapes, orange peel, rum and raisin. 

Comments: 

Luscious and fruity, this Glenfarclas is quite emblematic of the distillery. Lots of spicy notes, including rum and raisin ice cream (blast from the past!). With water, it extends and turns bitter. Very nice indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenfarclas 15yo 100 Proof

Glenfarclas 15yo 100 Proof

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dusty gold
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, dark chocolate, raisins, toffee, kiwifruit, pear drops, hints of pineapples. With water, white pepper, pear drops, photocopy paper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, barley sugar, pear drops, dark chocolate, raisins, cocoa nibs, white pepper, hints of pineapples. With water, photocopy paper, cotton sheets, white pepper, pear drops, hints of pineapples. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, toffee, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

A rather fruity Glenfarclas, plenty of tropical fruit and chocolate. With water, some feinty, even slightly sulphurous notes appear, but it keeps its spiciness and chocolatiness. Rather pleasant. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenfarclas 185th Anniversary Bottling

Glenfarclas 185th Anniversary Bottling

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, raisins, toffee, honey, dried pears, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slightly tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, toffee, black tea, raisins, white grapes, walnut skins, hints of gooseberries. 
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, dried pears, honey, toffee. 

Comments: 

Rather good! No age statement, but there’s some old whisky in this if I’m any judge. Lots of honeyed fruity notes, exactly what you’d expect from a Glenfarclas, but not red grapes. Instead the grapes are white and juicy, and there’s a good long bitter finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenfarclas 24yo (Milroy's of Soho Exclusive)

Glenfarclas 24yo (Milroy's of Soho Exclusive)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, nutmeg, fresh baked bread, cloves, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium, slippery, cool, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, cocoa butter, fresh baked bread, vanilla, hints of nutmeg, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, milk chocolate, cloves, black tea. 

Comments: 

Classic Glenfarclas, plenty of chocolate and spice. This one is a little out of the norm - there's cloves, something buttery, and maybe even some candied ginger. There's a robust little bitter sweet finish, that punches you in the mouth. Excellent whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenfarclas 2007 Marriage of Casks

Glenfarclas 2007 Marriage of Casks

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
51.1% ABV
Tiny taste

Nose: Raisins, black tea, vanilla, white pepper, sponge cake. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, loosens slightly, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, vanilla, chocolate, sponge cake, hints of blackberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla sponge, black berry jam, chocolate, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

Many thanks, Andrea, for a taste of this Glenfarclas, an exclusive bottling for the Whisky Exchange. It's jammy and sweet, heaps of chocolate, and eggy sponge. Classic sherried 'farclas, but with a little bit of tannins and spice on the nose. It's lovely whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenfarclas 40 yo

Glenfarclas 40 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Deep red brown
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, chocolate, brown paper, fresh baked bread, cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, thickens, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, peanuts, honey, freshly baked bread, cream, vanilla, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Raspberries, candied oranges, chocolate, raisins. 

Comments: 

Hell of a sherry monster, this, and it's an amazingly old one as well. Classic honey, chocolate and raisins everywhere, but there's also candied oranges, fresh baked bread and vanilla... latte? Very Christmassy, and I wish I had a bottle rather than a mere dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenfarclas 105

Glenfarclas 105

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
60% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Bananas, raisins, sherry, strawberry jam, pears, maraschino cherries, hints of allspice. With water, cloves, ginseng, orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, static, mouth coating.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Raisins, sherry, pears, maraschino cherries, allspice, hints of cloves. With water, more bitter, orange peel, cookie dough, vanilla.
Finish: Medium. Chillies, strawberry jam, orange peel, hints of cloves.

Comments:

This is the quintessential Glenfarclas. I checked back on previous Glenfarclas tasting notes and just about every descriptor I wrote down in those is present here. It's also amazingly good value for cask strength whisky. Beautiful legs too, although it doesn't feel too thick in the mouth.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

The Macphunn 18 yo Cask 1

The Macphunn 18 yo Cask 1The Macphunn, Macphunn
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
56.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sherry, red grapes, orange peel, grilled beef, raisins, hints of brown paper.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, mouth coating, thickens, warm.
Tasting: Sweet. Honey, sherry, raisins, red grapes, black tea, brown paper, orange peel, hints of plums.
Finish: Long. Brown paper, sherry, raisins.

Comments:

A mystery malt, bottled by the owner of the Creggan's Hotel in Argyll. It's a single cask Speyside (I reckon it's Glenfarclas), matured in a sherry butt. Very nice indeed - complex, tannic, fruity and just a little meaty. Brilliant sherried whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Update 24 July 2014:

Someone (well, an auction site) has finally come out and admitted this is sherried Glenfarclas. I gather there's a bit of a question mark over this particular cask, but it's almost certainly from that distillery.

SMWS 1.141 (Glenfarclas 41 yo 1966/2008)

SMWS 1.141 (Glenfarclas 41 yo 1966/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Orange amber
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cream soda, orange peel, vanilla, cinnamon, brown paper, hints of red wine. With water, pears, apples, hints of quince.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, smooth, thickens, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet. Vanilla, raisins, red grape, marmalade, walnuts, brown paper, malty beer, hints of mint and lavender. With water, pear cider, apples appear.
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, marmalade, raisins.

Comments:

Sweet, strong and spicy. Delicious, but probably not worth the price I paid for it! Nevertheless, this is a magnificent whisky from a quality distillery.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenfarclas 43 yo 1965/2008

Glenfarclas 43 yo 1965/2008

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sherry, honey, grape, oak, peat, caramel.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, unctuous, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet. Oranges, honey, red grapes, oak, peat, raisins, butter, hints of cookie dough.
Finish: Long. Honey, sherry, red grapes.

Comments:

Labelled, not "Glenfarclas", but "probably Speyside's finest distillery". Well, this whisky is certainly very fine - quite like an old sherried Glen Grant, but without the rubber band / brandy notes. Lots and lots of red grapes and wine, great syrupy body too.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 1.140 (Glenfarclas 14 yo 1993/2008

SMWS 1.140 (Glenfarclas 14 yo 1993/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, raisins, custard, grilled beef, honey, pineapples, peaches, vanilla .
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, slightly watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Hazelnuts, butter, custard, walnut skins, green apples.
Finish: Medium. Lemons, green apples, raisins, vanilla.

Comments:

Green apples, lots and lots of them, combined with meaty, fruity notes, with a slight bitter tang. Interesting, and very unlike those fruitcakey official Glenfarclas bottlings. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenfarclas 10 yo

Glenfarclas 10 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber, tinge of pink
43% ABV
Mini

Nose: Sherry sweet, clotted cream and fresh milk, oranges and dried apricots. A little oak underneath.
Mouthfeel: Watery. Very liquid but not thin.
Tasting: Sweet. Big hit of spice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Strawberry jam, vanilla cream, tannin. Cream tea!
Finish: Medium to long. Loses intensity quickly, but hangs around. Spice cake and orange peel.

Comments:

Cream tea whisky. Milky sweet notes, very enjoyable. This is Glenfarclas's flagship official bottling. If it's this spicy at this strength, the cask strength and Family Cask bottlings must be very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.