Glenfarclas 15 Year Old

I found mine not being particularly dark in colour, just slightly darker than the 12 YO.
Its not entirely different from his younger brother, I think its very similar but more intense and richer.
Tasting it side by side with The Macallan Sienna, I concluded I like this one better. Both amazing drams.

21st September 2016

Beautiful, complex, rich and very satisfying dram for the money. Not sure you can do any better in this price bracket.

30th August 2016

All good whiskies are alike but great whiskies have there own special flaws that rise them to a higher level. This is how I think of Glenfarclas 15. It is just so good even its flaws. The nose is rich sherry christmas w/o being cumbersome, the mouthfeel is like velvet than opens into fruity, spiciness when water is added and testimony to its quality it can take water. The bourbon influence is there --- and there is so much more. It is just so damn easy to drink.

22nd July 2016

Batches vary from year to year but I always find this one consistently delicious. Can't help but go back to it year after year. One of my favourite whiskies.

27th June 2016

Consistently a remarkable dram. Christmas cake etc...just a very fine dram

17th June 2016

An absolute bargain at £50. My fav whisky pound for pound was the Glendronach 15 when it was ~£50 but now this has taken the lead. One everyone could love.

May need to explore more Glenfarclas...

14th June 2016

Nose; butterscotch pudding, marmalade waterfall, crisp, green hay on a rainy day. one of the best nose ever! Taste; pumpkin pie, cold medicine, cucumber spice. Finnish; mouth watering lingering with sherry scent and berry bush. A true masterpiece of expression in a 15 year old dram. I would not be surprised to learn of significant age of and quality of the buts that this hails from. Like finding a needle in a haystack. Truly Epic!

29th May 2016

Nose; butterscotch pudding, marmalade waterfall, crisp, green hay on a rainy day. one of the best nose ever! Taste; pumpkin pie, cold medicine, cucumber spice. Finnish; mouth watering lingering with sherry scent and berry bush. A true masterpiece of expression in a 15 year old dram. I would not be surprised to learn of significant age of and quality of the buts that this hails from. Like finding a needle in a haystack. Truly Epic!

29th May 2016

A lot has been said about this whisky. All I can add is whisky simply doesn't get better at this price point.

Amazing dram with a good glug of water. Rich and satisfying. I find Glenfarclas 15 somehow makes you feel refreshed after drinking it. Strange but it honestly does.

Just buy a bottle and enjoy it with friends. Slàinte

Rob, Somerset

12th May 2016

Nose neat: creamy pedro ximinez, orange pine kernel? Vanilla, sour lemon drops. After time in the glass, malty, bready, sweet, ripe banana, pear, strawberry sweets, subtle tobacco smoke, raisin, black bun, Christmas cake, creamy, cough syrup, sherry, more malt, peppermint? (22/25)

Taste Neat: sweet, fruit basket, spicy, peppery.
(19/25)

Nose with water: Sweet bread, slight bite, pedro ximenez, sour fruit, sour dough? Lemon oil, aromatic, herbaceous, lemon curd? sugary sweeties, like rock, hints of juniper and eucalyptus. Toasty oak, wood cured ham, roasted spice like Nutmeg, more creamy sherry.
(23/25)

Taste with water: creamy and lemon sweet arrival, raisin, definitely sour dough, sour lime, clear bourbon flavours of vanilla and American oak. bitter-sweet. Spicy and slightly nutty finish that is toasty and oaky.
(23/25)

Presentation point: (1/1)

Conclusion: About a BIG arrival when neat. Very sherried, but water brings out the real bourbon influence, reminiscent of bulleit rye. Sweet when neat, but very astringent and complex with a good water helping. This "sherry bomb" is about more than just sherry. It does seem that most of the higher quality casks may be bourbon, and that the bourbon part of this whisky is older than 15 years.

Points: (88/101)

16th April 2016

Exquisite whisky with flavours reminding me of Christmas time, but certainly a whisky to be sipped all year round.

14th April 2016

Loved this in the 3 cl sample. Butterscotch monster! Quite bitter and full after the sweetness passes. Great dram!

25th February 2016

The power chords on opening relax into a cascade of gentler and more subtle fruit notes after letting the bottle breathe for 48 hours . Some friends were visiting and one chap who professed to hating whisky and anything to do with it is now a convert to the taste of the grain . Bring on the 25 ' I can't wait .

22nd February 2016

I had purchased a couple bottles of this whisky simply because of the reviews I'd read. I was not disappointed. It is a bit thin for my taste. However, if it were more viscous it would arguably be my favorite of any whisky I've ever had. The flavor is incredible and the nose is equally impressive. It is just as the tasting notes describe.

7th January 2016

Excellent. Fabulous nose and a massive long lasting aftertaste. Brill.

2nd January 2016

This is no longer the sherrybomb it once was. MoM's tasting notes above are quite a few years old. Glenfarclas today has more in common with say cragganmore or aberfeldy. If you like sherried whisky there are 3 distilleries that deliver the goods these days: glendronach, glengoyne and bunnahabhain. Glenfarclas sits in the backseat, except the 40 year old which is the best whisky I have ever tried.

23rd December 2015

Perfect if you want smooth, juicy and a little sweet. And what a great value.

23rd December 2015

The christmas cake statement is indeed what I taste. Love it, the sweetness, the cherry, perfectly balanced.
A lot better than the 12 year old which is also nice.
Best one I had so far, together with laga 16.

6th December 2015

Let it age spot on advice rich thick sublime sweet sherry goodness fab stuff for the price go for it you won't be disappointed malt mates.

6th December 2015

A very high standard,
Thick, warm, sweet!
I like a light dram first to set this bad boy into action!
Great quality! Try it now!

1st December 2015

Fab whisky was bought it for a bday and loved it so much we bought it for the father in law for xmas x

30th November 2015

Master of Malt's description of 'Christmas Cake' is spot on.
This is very rich, sweet and delectable scotch whisky; on par with, say, Glenfiddich 15. Was taken a bit taken back by its heavy sherry influence at first, but with a wee bit of water it calmed down and I love it. Would absolutely buy it again.

1st November 2015

If you love ex-bourbon barrel aged whiskies AND ex-sherry cask aged whiskies, this is truly the heavenly balance. To be honest, I don't know if they use ex-bourbon barrels for this one, but it's not this lame 1st fill ex-sherry cask prune juice. To me it's prevalent aroma on the nose is cheesecake, yes. It smells of graham crust (not impossible with oak influences) and, well creme cheese. The body is dark fruits with pleasant dark chocolate bitterness in the finish. A bit of water brings citrus in the front nose wise.

13th October 2015

If you like the flavor of whisky aged in a sherry cask, you will love this one. I'm on my third or fourth bottle now. It is one of my all time favorites. It is well deserving of the high praise it receives. There are only a handful of drams that get a 10 from me. This is one of them.

20th September 2015

This is probably THE whisky by which I judge the rest. The very distinct Glenfarclas taste is what I think of when I long for a classic Speyside whisky. When compared with its price, this is definitely a 10/10. A must-have for any whisky lover.

17th August 2015

Best malt I have tasted for a while at a good price.

30th July 2015

Really awesome whisky. One of my favourites.

27th July 2015

simply the best whisky per price in the world... enough said.

25th July 2015

Firstly, Glenfarclas 12 is great but this doesn't hit the mark. Typical speyside but you definitely can see the quality that you would expect from a Glenfarclas. I am hesitant to give low scores because I think they do so much so right but this one... Is not for me.

26th June 2015

we had the 12 yr old sunday night,outstanding malt.this scotch has a flavor to it cannot put my finger on.going to pick up the 17 yr old i like older scotch.this is considered one of the best distilleries in scotland and i agree,a big 10,

17th June 2015

I can't get over how great this dram has become since opening it at Christmas. It gets better everyday. I want to buy another just to open it to the shoulder and let it sit for 3 months. If you can let it sit you will be absolutely amazed.

6th April 2015

One of my favorites , so far! I'm still trying different distillery offerings
from various regions. I love to take in each sip and let it slowly enlighten my
taste buds , then swallow and enjoy the finish in my throat. Yes...I like this
whiskey! Very rich !!

30th March 2015

Absolutely beautiful . The best single malt I have ever tasted .

12th March 2015

What can I say. This is a whisky that every distillery strives to create. A huge, lovely piece of produce from this wonderful distillery. This has taste, complexity, in the nose, taste and finish. I personally can't wish for more in a whisky. And for a 15 year old very affordable, as are all Glenfarclas expressions. You'll never find me without a bottle of this in my collection.

28th February 2015

Firstly i have no clue what the reviewer mentioning "Phenolic" is talking about. Not a hint of Phenols when i've had the 15.

this is a wonderful well balanced dram, too often sherry maturation can overpower the whole experience but not in this case, the sherry influence is opened into a wonderful wide and complex dram. Initially the sweet and smooth honeyed sherry leads to a clean, fruit cake like palate and its lingers without exposing any bitter or awful surprises. Hard to put this down. A bottle of this never lasts long in my home. A must try malt in my book.

10th February 2015

One of my favs! Rich. Great amber color. Surprisingly better than the 21 year.

29th January 2015

First third of my bottle was a struggle. Strong, confusing flavors.
The malt eventually opened up and became something fantastic.
It is intense, powerful and opposite to smooth, but in a good way :)
Besides the tasting notes above it has that really heavy, thick mouthfeel to it which only adds to the drinking experience.
A must have fantastic whisky.
/JH

1st January 2015

It's not the stand-out whisky I was anticipating based on reviews. Quite phenolic, certainly sweet. Not really getting the fruit, sherry etc 'complex' overtones. I also find the 105 a little disappointing, frankly.

24th December 2014

This is a great whisky at an even greater price.
Tastes like a more expensive dram.
This is one of the best sherried whiskies that I have tried.
It is smooth, rich and well rounded.
I had to put my bottle away as I just couldn't get enough!
Will be ordered a new bottle very soon.

18th December 2014

Absolutely gorgeous !

14th December 2014

Don't get me wrong. I like it. It really is good, and smooth ...but it is also very simple. I'd consider it a reference whiskey. I purchased it as one of 5 different bottles I brought for whiskey tasting evening with friends. Everyone liked it, but nobody found it in any way distinctive. It makes it a safe purchase, and a great start for tasting evening, because it somehow lacks any interesting features (only perhaps it's on sweet side), and everyone compares other whiskeys to it.

4th December 2014

Brought a sample and loved it so had to get a bottle. Was a little worried due to some other reviews claiming that the bottle was very different from the sample. None of that here.

Fantastic stuff, perfect for winter nights by the fire.

6th November 2014

this is the best by far; the one from glenfarclas that tastes of Christmas plumb pudding/ butterscotch/ ,lovley smooth drink, 10/10 yes,jim murray was right 95/100,

19th October 2014

I bought this on a UK trip as a present to myself, and believe I did myself proud. Sherry nose,dark chocolate and fruit palate, and (while I didn't see any other reviews mentioning this) a drawn-out oak finish.

5th October 2014

Simply Gorgeous. You'll fall in love with it from the moment you first smell it. Definitely one to keep for special occasions... If it lasts that long!

9th September 2014

Faultless sample from MOM, then I bought the gift box edition with miniatures, on opening the bottle I found the cork had a very strong pine to it, which caused issues with the palate of the whisky, I sent the bottle back to Glenfarclas who gave me a replacement bottle, but this again failed to live upto the sample tried originally.

26th May 2014

Upon opening this bottle I would highly recommend letting it breathe for at least minutes. With a splash of cool water you get juicy raisins and sweet honey on the nose. In the mouth you get sweet fruit and a mouthful of almonds.

The finish is long and very sweet (less peaty). After drinking this I'm afraid I'm spoiled beyond repair and nothing will match the sensation I got when I took my first sip. Literally liquid cracked if there was ever such a thing.

21st May 2014

questo è un'ottimo whisky....uno dei migliori della sua categoria

27th February 2014

Hi there, although Glenfarclas state 'Highland' on the bottle, it's also very much a Speyside whisky. The Macallan do the exact same thing even though both distilleries lie in the heart of Speyside.

'Highland' and 'Speyside' aren't mutually exclusive, you see. The entire Speyside region lies inside the Highland region, which the Scotch Whisky Regulations define as "comprising that part of Scotland that is north of the line dividing the Highland region from the Lowland region".

This map is also useful: http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/understanding-scotch/whisky-regions-tours/

- The Chaps at Master of Malt

27th January 2014

Master of Malts has categorized Glenfarclas as a Speyside but the bottle clearly states it is a Highland Single Malt Whisky. This is also true of the Glenfarclas 25. The 15 year old is an excellent malt with lots of flavor. The sherry cask finish is definitely evident but not overpowering. A fine malt and an excellent value.

25th January 2014

Tried the dram of this original and it was superb, bought a bottle of it and its taste nothing like I remember, very disappointing.

13th January 2014

Christmas 2013 - the 15yo is fantastic, smooth and rich. Another bottle.? Yes.

25th December 2013

I'm in heaven. every mouthful is pure bliss. highly recommended.

20th November 2013

highly recommended for everyone

26th September 2013

long, fruity.... delectable.

26th September 2013

I bought a sulfur tainted bottle of the 15 year old from mom early 2013. So it would of been the late 2012 bottling that has this issue.

9th August 2013

not great but ok, would i buy another bottle; no

4th August 2013

How old are the reviews complaining about this?

8th July 2013

bought a bottle from MoM a Cpl weeks ago and this whisky has its good points but its just got too much of a sulphurous nose and taste for my liking and I wont be buying it again. IMHO you are much better buying a bottle of glendronach 15yo if like myself you like the fruity flavours

5th June 2013

This is good stuff. I'm not even a huge fan of sherry'd whisky, compared to the Glendronach this is more subtle and less overpowering with the sherry. Very Complex. Deep winter fruits; baked apples and rum soaked cherries; all flavours over the underlining of sherry; there are oak and nut notes; whilst the nose doesn't really do the plate and finish justice, I think that is a common quality of sherry'd whisky, and this is a great whisky. More dark chocolate and raisin. The finish is so long, so, so long. A mouth-watering whisky.

28th May 2013

Full bodied with a nice dose of sherried sweetness, malty tones and peaty flavours. Finish is long lasting, very sherried, sweet, gently smoky, and distinguished. Not my favorite, but good for the price.

23rd April 2013

Really great 15 year old single malt; it would seem they have an issue with consistency, but I personally have not found this. Of the range, I think the 15 best represents the house style and also the best value for money. A real favourite and a must for lovers of sherried malts. Nose: Strongly assertive sherry characters present from the off. Powerful and richly creamy, with a hint of the candied peel to come. Palate: Mouth-watering richness, like an old fashioned Christmas cake/pudding or a true sticky toffee, due to a nutty quality. Element of sharpness, as if from orange peel, sherried raisins or cranberries; complex but well-balanced. Finish: Long; a sustained feel of nuttiness and highly sherried fruit. A hint of cloves, and the warmth of a Christmas fire that stays with you. As above, water draws out the sweetness, but I feel loses some of the complex sherry notes and embracing wintertime cosiness that makes this a wonderfully nostalgic dram.

18th April 2013

The small amount of sulphur in the bottle of this I bought has killed what should of been (and indeed what I was expecting) of this venerable distilery. So disappointed.

23rd March 2013

Fucking shite

3rd March 2013

Sulphur on the nose and on the palate. Bad cask?

11th January 2013

I first received a corked bottled: inflated gray/blueish cork, strong nose of sulphur, tastes like the nose. Impossible to recognize something else than this horrible smell.
Master of malt cordially replaced this bottle, thanks a lot for that.
The second bottle is equal to what has been said here: a christmas cake, seems older than 15yo, spicy, raisins, wallnuts, oranges etc... It would have been perfect if only... Sulphur wasn't still there. The sulphured taste is discernable, among the others delicious flavors, precisely on the final notes of the taste, and on the finish. The cork is intact on the second bottle, it doesn't seems moldy like the first one, so I guess this sulphur taste comes from the sherry cask. Quite disappointed by this dram.

9th January 2013

Amazing carmello koala nose that tastes like Cadbury's fruit and nut chocolate. Fruity and nutty. The best way to enjoy this is to load up an eyedropper and drink it one drop at a time. Gives you time to explore the amazing Cadbury's fruit and nut chocolate taste. Seriously have to try this. A bottle lasted two years drinking it this way.

19th October 2012

This is just superb! It screams sherry from the nose to the palate! It is 46% so a tad on the strong side. However, this enhances its powerful flavour. Certainly one of my MANY favourites - up there in my top 10! Anyone would think that this is much older than a 15.

25th September 2012

OK, so malt whisky is all about personal preference (unless you think Highland Commisioner is better than 16yr Lagavulin, in which case you are just wrong), so I'm not going to preach to anyone about how good this is.

I like peaty smoke, I really do, but I'll always lean towards a sherried Speyside first. If you are like me then buy one of these;

This is without a doubt the best whisky I have ever had, and I've just finished a Balvenie 15yr Single Barrel which was outstanding.

This Glenfarclas is not like most sherried malts which are blended from a mixture of bouron or white oak whisky and sherried cask - it spends it's entire (mimimum of) 15 years in sherry casks, given that most of the whisky in here is much older than this (it just has to be) it's a heavy little beast.

Simply stunning.

13th August 2012

Just ordered my second bottle, this stuff is gorgeous.

11th August 2012

Tastes more like a middle of the road 12 y.o. single malt.

9th August 2012

One of my favourite speysiders, an absolute fruitcake of a whisky as mentioned, lovely rich hints of dried fruits, sherry and christmas pudding. Ending with a velvety sweetness reminiscent of sugary dates. Unbelieveable stuff. Highly recommend this, its an absolute bargain for the money, a LOT of whisky for your buck. This is no entry level malt, Enjoy!

30th July 2012

15 yr old whisky I've tasted. I love my sherry cask whisky and this is by far the best. Buy without hesitation.

22nd July 2012

... the 15 year-old from GlenDronach is even better. I wouldn't want to be without either of them, but if I was forced to pick one, the GlenDronach would come slightly higher on my list.

22nd June 2012

Nose of spice, caramels, hints of maple, delicate smokiness.
Slight oakiness, cork, rope with a hint of minerality and pitch.
More wood expands on immediate taste with that warm mouth feel
Revealing sugary, maple, cork, spiceiness with a full rounded
Slightly oily mouth feel. This now reveals the Yamazaki 12s woodiness
And fiery tones

18th March 2012

.. but nothing beside the 21.

22nd February 2012

It sells out quickly enough on here...........

10th December 2011

Absoulutely Sublime,my current favourite, unsurpassed for me at this price.

8th December 2011

Absolutely Sublime, my current favourite, unsurpassed for me at this price.

8th December 2011

Fantastic Dram, you will not beat this for under 50 quid,if you are a novice malt lover you should definitely try this.This takes you to another level just so many flavours explode in your mouth without appearing overly complex fantastic stuff,one to drink before you die!

17th November 2011

A wonder for a 15yo, super rich sherry, lovely chocolate mouth feel.

17th September 2011

Not my favourite sherry cask single malt, but its pretty good for the price. It has attractive qualities but its nothing mind blowing.

17th June 2011

A perfect balance of richness and freshness. This is one of the best and well-balanced whiskies I've tasted. Masterpiece.

29th January 2011

In my opinion, Glenfarclas 15 is better than its older brothers and good value for money

22nd December 2010

Glenfarclas is the best and the 15yo is my all time favourite. Visit the Distillery and try the 15yo with a drop of spring water from the Green Burn - Heaven.

22nd December 2010

and like butter fruit cake. Or indeed pannetone with raisins and fruit peel is the closest on my palate. Complex and enjoyable - and I only had a sample dram! Onto the 21 year now...

21st December 2010

I love cakes and this one is the best what i ever had.I can only image how taste 21 and 25. This 15 is great indeed. oh men what a nose. Incredible.

18th September 2010

Glenfarclas are definately one of the best, this seems alot older than 15 though - really complex. My favourite winter warmer!

6th October 2009