A wonderfully sherried 15 year old dram from Glenfarclas, boasting oodles of dried fruit notes. It’s bottled at 46% ABV simply because this was the strength that George Grant’s grandfather preferred it at. Happily, this also results in the Speysider boasting a big, juicy, Christmas cake profile. A fabulously complex Scotch while also being easily drinkable.
Intense, powerful sherry. Cream sherry, certainly – Pedro Ximenez? almost… a touch of peppermint? An almost rancio quality to this. Smells older than 15.
Raisins, more sherry, orange peel, walnuts, dates.
Incredibly long, complex, more of the walnuts again.
Water draws out sweetness. This is Christmas cake, not whisky. Simply astonishing.
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This represents the best of and all that is great about Glenfarclas. At 46%, it's got lots of bite but is richly complex with a beautifully lingering stimulation of chordi tympani. I've been round many corners with whisky but this is the way, the truth and the light!....
When I read the previous reviews I was concerned about buying this. A lot saying it was great and a few saying it was vile. I finally got it a few hours ago and cracked it open. The first sip was the strong medicine taste, but with a second sip and a few minutes setting, it greatly improved. I am glad I bought it.
I got this at christmas hoping to enjoy the "christmas cake" flavours in the appropriate season, but i was very disappointed. It may be well sherried, but that was completely buried under a pall of sulfur for me. It dominated all other flavours on the nose and the palate. I have man-flu now so it's getting used in hot toddys while my sense of taste is gone. I just ordered on glenfarclas day, so hopefully the the small bottle of the 105 will help to redeem the distillery.
It does indeed need the touch of water to reveal it's true beauty. In doing so, let it rest for a while, at the very least 10 minutes to bring forth to the palate the golden smooth complex beauty. A whisky for the sherry influenced lovers indeed!
Firstly the nose, the smell of this is just amazing I would say one of the nicest I've ever had the pleasure of opening. The drink itself is delightfully complex there is so much going on and yet it blends very nicely. My only issue is the length of the finish. It doesn't stay and compared to the smell the taste I found to be somewhat lacking. It's there no doubt but compared to the thump in the face you get from the smell the taste is far too subdued. For the price I don't think you'll do any better but it just seems a little lacking to quite get all 5 stars.
