High strength sherry
It is just great.
I love the peaty whiskies from Islay , but I love the 105 just the same.
What more can you ask for : single malt at 60%+ sherry cask maturation not finishing + very affordable 1L bottle, can't go wrong with 105.
I only sip it, I never added water and it is just great.
6 Stars by the way .
Florin Bogdan Dec 30, 2022
Elegant and affordable
Disclaimer: I first tasted this the day covid started, had bought a bottle and it became my "lockdown staple". So i may have an emotional bond skewing my perception.
This is a complex and elegant whisky. Sweet dried fruit, vanilla cream, cinnamon, baking spices and a drying oak all dance together. The flavors and smells are rich and warm, owing to the high strength. Its flavor profile is best suited to a cold winter night. Being Jewish i cannot confirm whether it tastes like christmas but many people say it does.
From the first nosing until the long lingering aftertaste, each of the notes will present then withdraw, in evolving combinations.
The whisky will manifest differently depending on how much water is added (from 0 water to 2:1 whisky:water ratio are all viable given the 60 proof). I have also noticed big differences nosing and tasting side by side in a tumbler and a glencairn. The time sitting with water in the glass over time also factors in.
Sip this one slowly, savoring it in your mouth, and studying the aroma. Each time, experiment with different water proportions and glassware. This is a worthy dram that will reward your patience and attention.
I suspect those who gave bad reviews did not get a good presentation for whatever reason, or perhaps just gulped it down as a shot. They may also have gotten a bad bottle (there is some difference between bottles, though i only once got a "bad" one).
A dash of this whisky can be great in baking, compote, and desserts. Its sweetness and strength work well there.
I've also gotten rave reviews with some doctored versions. For example blend it with a smoky whisky like Ledaig, or add a cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and a prune. Have brought the latter to a party and the bottle was drained. I know many people don't dare tinker with a single malt but i have found this one to be a good canvas for creativity.
The best of all - this is affordable. I know many people compare unfavorably to aberlour abunadh but having purchased both bottles side by side and tasted them over a few weeks, i don't really agree. They are different but neither is obviously better. And this is much more affordable, especially in the 1L.
To me, this bottle, 1 peaty island scotch, and 1 good bourbon can really constitute a solid "collection".
I hate to tell everyone about it, lest they drive the price up. But the good people at Glenfarclas deserve the business.
Aaron Frazer Dec 25, 2022
Very disappointing
Excited by the reviews and disappointed by the reality. I tried to like it, over several sessions, with and without accompaniment. At cask strength you forgive the paint stripper profile when undiluted but with addition of water the harshness goes but so does any meaningful sweetness or satisfaction. A bit rubbish.
Rob Nov 26, 2022
What has happened?
What has happened to this whisky? I have enjoyed quite a few bottles of this in the past but when I looked at this one it seemed a lot paler in colour and in the glass it just didn't have the same huge sherried Christmas cake nose. Now, I'm not saying that this is a bad whisky, and I am certainly enjoying it as the bottle empties, but it's just not quite the same. Everything changes, I suppose, and not always for the best.
Rob Dec 16, 2021
Just exquisite in every way! If there were 6 stars, this would be me!
The 105 is my all time favourite malt. I know it’s a young malt compared to many others, but somehow there’s no other quite like it.
Master of Malt Customer Nov 22, 2021
