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| Hello, that is one in all our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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September 8, 2021
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WF, kings of awful headlines. I say we should always have performed it trendy as a substitute, like ‘Seven Glenfarclas, #5 Nearly Killed The Taster’. Or ‘The Seven Glenfarclas Ladies Like Finest’. Or higher but: ‘The Seven Glenfarclas That They Ought to By no means Have Bottled’. Subsequent time, maybe…
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| Glenfarclas on ending, round 2005. All the time cherished this advert. |
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Glenfarclas ‘185th Anniversary’ (46%, OB, 6000 bottles, 2021) 
The ‘a hundred and seventy fifth Anniversary’, again in 2011, had been glorious IMHO (WF 88) however I am afraid I have never heard a lot since again then, the final ten years appear to have been fairly quiet at Glenfarclas. Color: gold. Nostril: there may be some sherry, however not so much, it is a fairly pure, pastry-like, fat-as-always Speysider, with fairly some vanilla and desserts, then varied natural teas and some raisins. I’ve to say steadiness is ideal, you simply could not discover fault with this one on the nostril. I think some fairly older casks have been concerned, as there’s no single roughness. Mouth: sure, glorious, fairly fruity, as if it was no less than 25 12 months outdated. We’re speaking guavas and mangos, pink bananas, then orange blossom water, custard, overripe apples and a variety of softer spices, cinnamon and caraway first, then just a few mentholy ones, pine liqueur, sultanas… All that works in sync. End: not the longest ever however this fruity freshness stays excellent. Mango cake. Feedback: this one’s most likely been assembled with a lot care; I discover it fairly fruitier than your ‘common’ Glenfarclas. Excessive class certainly, blissful anniversary Glenfarclas (sorry if I am late).
SGP:651 – 88 factors. |
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Let’s attempt the common 15 now, to provide perspective…
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Glenfarclas 15 yo (46%, OB, +/-2021) 
Final time I attempted the 15 that was 4 years in the past. Good-not-great. Color: like gold. Nostril: ouch, dying seat after the ‘185th’. Saps and leaves, a drop of bitter wine, the remaining could be very effective, on vanilla, acacia honey, dried figs, tarte tatin and Scottish tablets. Fairly custardy on condition that it is fairly a sherried GF, in principle. A contact of rubber too, not unseen. Mouth: caramel, fudge, butterscotch, corn syrup, Lindt’s LIndor chocolate, millionaire shortbread, additionally the standard wee rubber in addition to paraffin within the background. Tends to turn out to be grittier after ten seconds in your palate. End: medium, grassier, dropping its fairly pretty fudge-iness. I might say many ‘industrial’ malts are likely to behave like this, their finishes are by no means their greatest asset. Feedback: fairly on-and-off. As I remembered it, however I insist, the superior ‘185’ could have killed it a wee bit.
SGP:451 – 83 factors. |
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That is one of many quite a few issues with the NAS whiskies, the place do you place them while you construct a wee verticale? On condition that legally, they’re solely 3 12 months outdated whiskies? Lest you’ve got obtained clues as for the precise contents, which nearly by no means occurs except you handle to get some reps drunk on gin-and-tonic, in any other case they ‘could not probably remark’. Let’s transfer on with an all-natural Glenfarclas…
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Glenfarclas 10 yo 2008/2018 (58%, Cadenhead, Genuine Assortment, bourbon hogshead, 264 bottles) 
Hearsay has it that Cadenhead do have the suitable to make use of the model ‘Glenfarclas’ (however to not name it Glenfarclas-Glenlivet I suppose, ha) just a few instances a 12 months. Color: pale white wine. Nostril: fairly probably essentially the most bare Glenfarclas I’ve ever nosed, even the outdated official 5 yo was having extra cask affect. Now it is a good event to understand that Glenfarclas is a full-bodied spirit, fairly wealthy and full, fairly on smooth oils, waxes and candy doughs (maize), with an orchardy fruitiness that will actually remind us of ex-refill-ASB Aberlour. With water: waxes up, maize down. Mouth (neat): actually bursts with recent pears and apples of all types. Wealthy and candy ones, inexperienced and tarter ones… With water: superb, all pure certainly, extraordinarily barley-y, with an exquisite honeyness popping out. We frequently point out honey however imagine me, this one is shock-full of all-flower honey as soon as you’ve got decreased it with care. Love honey. End: lengthy and fairly excellent. Feedback: bear in mind these crappy outdated jokes about ‘fairly liking your whisky bare’? In any case, possibly there was some unintentional fact in a few of these foolish jests.
SGP:541 – 86 factors. |
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Glenfarclas 2004/2015 ‘Cask Power Premium Version’ (59.8%, OB, sherry, 6000 bottles)
I simply discovered this one within the bins. Late as ever. They appear to love the quantity ‘6000 bottles’ at Glenfarclas, possibly is that the dimensions of their vatting tank on the filling station? Color: full gold. Nostril: this time shoe polish and gun oil are having the lead over every other aromas. You possibly can assume sulphur however these sulphury notes are fairly bordering outdated walnuts, which is fairly ‘sherry’. See what I imply? Quite a lot of pipe tobacco, Christmas cake (season’s not too distant), prunes, and that feeling of armagnac that is not unseen in sherried GF. Reminds of the 105 right here and there. With water: some earth and varied different wild smells, mushrooms, moss, outdated stump, pu-her… Mouth (neat): somewhat sizzling and tough. Uncooked chocolate and occasional liqueur (Kahlua and compadres). With water: as anticipated, meat and soups popping out, cracked pepper, miso, different savoury notes… End: drier, as nearly at all times. Contact of rubber, bitter caramel, espresso… Reasonably dry and drying. Robust black tea, Latakia tobacco (so far as I can bear in mind), armagnac once more… Feedback: began wealthy and sweeter, grew to become drier and grittier. Not an unseen improvement in ‘sherry monsters’, these might have somewhat extra time than simply ten years. Superb, nonetheless.
SGP:661 – 85 factors. |
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Oh, since we have simply talked about Glenfarclas 105…
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Glenfarclas 8 yo ‘105’ (60%, OB, gold label, Eighties) 
A really early ‘105’ with a gold label. There was additionally a ‘104’, which I do not assume I’ve tried, and a a lot earlier ‘8 yo – 105’ beneath the standard white livery, again within the Nineteen Sixties. Astounding whisky! I might add that I had tried one other 8 – 105 from the mid-Eighties (WF 90) however that one was already sporting the well-known black label, whereas this earlier model was not. Color: gold. Nostril: these whiskies have been a lot meatier, extra savoury, extra on hen soup and tofu-ed miso than the present choices. I do not assume that is solely due to OBE. What’s notably fantastic is all of the mint, additionally different fragrant herbs, camphor, sandalwood, plus the anticipated steel polish and simply soot. Wonderbar (that is Anglo-German language). With water: tantalising beehive-y notes, high-class outdated Sauternes, some resinous smoke (burning eucalyptus), then bouillon with marrow quenelles, mashed chickpeas, simply menthol… Wow wow wow! Mouth (neat): completely wonderful, extraordinarily wealthy, complicated, filled with dried and crystallised fruits (to the brim!) with an unique smokiness and notes of earthy cognac. Superlative, I might have stated outdated Nineteen Sixties Springbank. Unimaginable, please name the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade! With water: it simply adores water. I imagine I am working out of superlatives. End: soups, dried figs, truffles, varied juices, outdated liqueurs, ambrosia (I might guess), what a present! Feedback: Glenfarclas bottled within the Nineteen Sixties-early Eighties was actually one thing else. What’s extra, I am certain this one was low-cost as chips when you would purchase it on the road. I am completely floored; as Louis Pasteur would have stated, there’s extra philosophy on this wee ‘farclas than in all books.
SGP:662 – 94 factors. |
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In principle, I ought to put an finish to this session now. However that is Whiskyfun…
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Glenfarclas 21 yo ’95° proof’ (54.2%, OB, unique to The Whisky Trade, 2020)
It appears that evidently London retains going retro (typically retro-futuristic). Hell, I agree, why attempt to enhance one thing that is excellent? (ask distillers!) Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas, in some issues, innovation is simply the artwork of screwing up issues whereas getting paid, a.okay.a. the entrepreneurs’ favorite sport. Color: full gold. Nostril: hey it does survive and nicely after the great 105, due to a delicate meatiness, some wax, sunflower oil, camphor and simply ‘a forgotten outdated bottle of Jaeger’. All the pieces’s old-school right here, together with the liquid. With water: as usually, earth popping out, mushrooms, outdated wine cellar, saltpetre… There is a tiny perfumy contact too (rose petals, litchi). Mouth (neat): some candy sherry, walnut wine, ginger tonic, beef jerky, black raisins, Korean BBQ with wee bits of kimchi… With water: gentler and extra, as an example ‘conventional’. Malt, honey, tarte tatin and raisins. The sherry obtained a lot sweeter, nearly ‘PX’. Did you discover that PX in whisky has gotten frequent as houseflies as of late? End: fairly lengthy, candy, with balsamic touches. Feedback: this complicated GF was not crushed by the stupendous 105 in any respect, which says so much. Nice drop, maintain a bottle till… the 12 months 2060.
SGP:651 – 90 factors. |
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Did not we are saying seven Glenfarclas (de la muerte)?
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My Favorite Distillery 33 yo 1976/2010 (53%, Thosop Import, Speyside, bourbon cask, cask #1420)
From after we have been nonetheless doing labels for pals – casually. This IS Glenfarclas. Appears like I’ve by no means printed any ‘official’ notes for this child from the great ol’ instances, so right here I’m, late as ever… (sorry Luc)… Color: gold. Nostril: coconut wine in Glenfarclas? Positive, when it is ex-fresh bourbon. There’s additionally a vanilla-ed creaminess, absolutely loads of sunflower oil, some nougat, fudge, halva, peanut syrup (a brand new factor I’ve simply present in a store right here in Alsace, find it irresistible even when it is somewhat candy for me), honeycomb, custard… With water: wee touches of resins, saps and yellow flowers. Our expensive buttercups (‘Do you want butter?’) Mouth (neat): vivid and syrupy on the similar time, with some coconut once more (not that vulgar plankish factor that you’d typically get from recent American oak), banana foam, apricots and actually loads of honey and preserved mirabelles. Forgot to say quinces. I am unsure I might have stated ‘Glenfarclas’ earlier in… 2010. With water: will get actually candy and creamy, cake-y, with much more quinces and mirabelles. I would not have stated Glenfarclas, I might have stated Balvenie (have you ever no sense of disgrace, S.?) End: smooth touchdown with the identical combo in motion. Feedback: as Methuselah would have stated, these have been the times.
SGP:641 – 91 factors. |
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That is seven. Auf Wiedersehen.
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(On the following day)… maintain on, we have been so happy with these Glenfarclasses that we double-checked what we have been having within the bins and simply discovered somewhat extra…. (true story)
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Glenfarclas 10 yo 2005/2015 (60.7%, OB, Taiwan, Single Cask, sherry, cask #2425, 635 bottles)
There is a tiger on the label, so it is for Taiwan (tempo e salute, Taiwanese pals!) Color: cognac (if it have been cognac, we’d have stated whisky, um…) Nostril: it is actually wealthy and feels candy and jammy at first sniffs. Tons of raisins and prunes, just a few pencil shavings within the background, Mars bars, Twix (similar maker) and simply liquid caramel and chocolate. With water: very good, meatier and soupier, as anticipated. The standard marrow, beef jerky, quenelles, this one wants time however would then by no means cease enhancing on the nostril. Walnuts and tobacco., that was anticipated too. Mouth (neat): actually huge, peppery, with extra of these pencil shavings, some menthol, marmalade… However boy is it robust, so, with water: fruitier (marmalades, jams), spicier as nicely. Reasonably loads of cinnamon and some gingery touches. End: very lengthy, at all times with these wooden shavings within the background. Feedback: completely glorious, simply the oak was a tad an excessive amount of within the entrance for me.
SGP:561 – 85 factors. |
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Glenfarclas 21 yo (43%, OB, +/-2017)
Final time I attempted the fairly common 21, that was in 2012 and it was somewhat weak (WF 80). Not proud. This isn’t a really current batch however there, let’s attempt it, we’ll discover a newer bottling later. Maybe. The 43% vol. do really feel somewhat outdated by at the moment’s requirements. Color: gold. Nostril: it truly is extraordinarily smooth and even shy, with fairly crushed recent almonds and walnuts. That will give it a fino-y aspect that is at all times successful at WF Towers, however the entire stays extraordinarily low-key. A really explicit spot within the official vary. Mouth: I discover it good and, the truth is, not that smooth and shy on the palate. Seems like a solution to large-scale softer Speysiders resembling Glenlivet or Glenfiddich. Or Macallan High quality Oak however I do not assume that one already existed after they launched Glenfarclas 21. Anyway, good drop, very straightforward, somewhat leafy. Means higher than I remembered it, which at all times pleases me in fact. End: brief and somewhat too dry and leafy, loses a few of the factors it had simply earned. Bah… Feedback: not my enterprise however they could must crank up the quantity, the juice would clearly deserve that.
SGP:441 – 83 factors. |
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Glenfarclas 2007/2016 (51.1%, OB for The Whisky Trade, sherry, casks #435+456)
Pretty reuse of the outdated lettering. Color: deep gold. Nostril: oh that is actually humorous and purely the results of likelihood, this child actually feels just like the 21 with many extra watts. Fantastic almonds and walnuts, marzipan, amaretti soaked in grappa (I do what I need), then inexperienced teas and the subtlest raisiny aspect. I am glad I used to be nonetheless having this one on the aspect. With water: some toasted bread, a wee feeling of botrytis, absolutely some beeswax… Actually not the primary time a mix of solely two casks would generate some greater complexity then from a single cask. Mouth (neat): extraordinarily good, actually. Quince and mirabelle jams, so some ‘candy’ sherry, Jaffa desserts, a stunning wee contact of cracked pepper combined with somewhat gunpowder (for an extra-kick, ha), some tobacco, some uncooked chocolate… Actually happy certainly. With water: mushrooms and a contact of candy curry, raisins, maple syrup… End: lengthy fairly smoother. Chamomile and nougats plus juicy golden sultanas. Feedback: at instances you’d have believed they’d fairly married one sherry with one bourbon.
SGP:651 – 89 factors. |
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Maybe a really final one, as a session that goes to eleven is simply sufficient. Let’s make it a kind of well-known Household Casks.
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Glenfarclas 1990/2015 (54%, OB, Household Casks, for HNWS, sherry butt, cask #4710, 614 bottles)
Color: Darkish purple amber. Nostril: arch-classic sherried Glenfarclas, fairly wealthy, oh-so barely meaty, filled with dried fruits, Christmas cake, with a wee drop of mocha and, above all the things, an excellent 5 kilograms of moist pipe tobacco. With water: menthol, sage, chives and lovage coming out, I can not see who can be in opposition to that. Good evolution of a deeply sherried malt as soon as correct discount was executed. Mouth (neat): excellent, with fairly loads of liquorice, which is somewhat uncommon with this type, in any other case truckloads of dried fruits, the raisins being on high. Completely Glenfarclas as in Glenfarclas. With water: swims completely. Died beef (clearly, I had supposed to put in writing ‘dried’), raisins, chestnuts, tobacco, espresso, mole sauce… That is excellent. End: lengthy, very chocolaty, with some mint. Skinny mints, not the primary time we’re making an attempt a Glenfarclas that will show skinny mints. Feedback: extraordinarily basic, a JS Bach of malt whisky.
SGP:561 – 90 factors. |
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