Review: Glenfarclas 17 Years Old

Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky

Origin: Glenfarclas Distillery

Bottling: J & G Grant

ABV: 43%

Cost: £98.80 from Master of Malt

What they say:

Colour:

Rich amber

Nose:

Complex, with distinctive butterscotch, sherried fruit and peat smoke aromas.

Flavour:

Big, full-flavoured, with excellent balance, develops slowly, full of sherry sweet malty tones, and a touch peat smoke.

Finish:

Long lasting and smooth, with a hint of spice and sherry sweetness.

Comment:

Hints of oak, complexity but finely balanced. Combines the smoothness of our younger whiskies with the greater depth of our older expressions.

Bottled in limited quantities primarily for the North American, Japanese and Travel Retail markets.

What I say:

Based on the drams I had around this I suspect this sample arrived via Richard from Adventures In Whiskyland. Either way this much-beloved 17 year old from Glenfarclas is usually at home in the travel retail section but can be much more widely available and it really is worth seeking some out!

Colour:

Amber gold (8/20), slow round droplet tears leave long fine legs

Nose:

Butter pastry, chalky & dusty icing sugar, flour and flowery, leather, toffee, butterscotch, caramelised sugar, red fruits, berries & cream, apples, some spices

Taste:

Rich toffee’d malt, some subtle leathery hints, damson jam, a touch of oak wood and spiced butterscotch and shortbread, mince pies, cherry brandy & spiced gingerbread

Finish:

Medium-long, sweet vanilla icing with cinnamon sprinkles

Overall:

Complex and well-balanced, lovely sherry sweet & a touch of spice, I wondered if this was constructed from Glenfarclas matured in bourbon or American oak (vanilla) combined with more traditional sherry-heavy maturation?

Score: 86/100

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