Glenfarclas 40 Year Old (46%)

I am not a Scotch expert. I am a normal gentleman that has tried several Single Malt Whiskeys in restaurants, and wants to learn more. To do that I recently purchased 10 samples. At least one was from each region of Scotland. I had no regard for price. The goal was to try some very fine Whiskeys. I wanted to learn. This review is based on that. I am giving each sample 5 stars simply because I do not want to disparage a fine whiskey just because I do not yet understand it.

Ths dram was very strong, and extremely complex. I think it is an aquired taste. As a beginner at this I think it is like the first time I tasted a very strong beer. Years later I ask for the darkest strongest beer on the menue. I think this Whiskey is like that. It is overly bold for my unacostomed pallet. This is one I will need to try again as I gain experience.

6th February 2017

Had Angels filled the bottle supervised by the good Lord himself, the result would be no less amazing. It is, quite simply put, unbridled bliss and pleasure bottled for ones enjoyment. It may seem a touch expensive, but true happiness comes seldom in this lifetime. An investment in happiness I will happily make again and again. Thank you Master of Malt and Glenfarclas for making this possible.

27th August 2016

This is an outstanding 40 year old. Everything about it is exceptional. It is still a massive bargain even after the recent price increases. Get together with mates and try this one out, you won't be disappointed.

14th April 2016

Damn shorty. This is the best scotch I ever drank.

31st January 2016

An excellent whisky! Exceptional nose, palate and finish all in line with the Glenfarclas brand. I am a fan of the Family Cast range of Glenfarclas. This one is almost as good as some Family Cast bottles that cost two or three times as much. Highly recommended. Perhaps the best value whisky around.

22nd June 2015

Most of the reviews here mention the value represented by this bottle but were written when the price was less than £300. I scored a bottle a year ago for £260 and, yes, you will never see the like again.

To attempt to describe the pleasure to be had from this dram would be to waste my words. Rest assured this is a sherry matured Speyside of rare quality, if you have the means and the inclination at today's prices you won't be disappointed.

11th May 2015

I bought this bottle for a friends birthday a year ago... I finally got to taste it tonight! Words can't describe how amazing it is...

6th February 2015

I've been stocking my cabinet with single malt whisky since Fall of this year on a journey to discover all the different ways that scotch is presented. I bought this bottle last night because I have no other way to know what an old old whisky tastes like short of flying to Scotland and *maybe* lucking out on a tour. So I popped the cork and poured a neat dram and the nose is very sweet, almost sugary. The mouthfeel is slightly oily and I only can say that after my third or fourth sip, because honestly, the first few all I can remember is how SMOOTH and BALANCED this whisky is with such an immensely loaded character. I always read about whisky having chocolate and vanilla flavors, and rarely do I ever actually taste these in any appreciable amount. This bottling has these flavors up front and in spades! Age has it's benefits and this is truly different than anything I've ever experienced in the whisky journey I have embarked on. I can still taste a lingering leathery smokey taste on the palate minutes after my last sip. It's now on the shelf with the 4 other bottles I'm not touching except on special occasions - and so it doesn't become a daily nightcap. I have no real benchmark to compare this to in its age range, with the oldest other whisky I own being 25 year Glenlivet, and working my way down through the 21-8 y/o ranges. This is amazing if you want an old bottle in the cabinet for a cold night or a special occasion and worth the price if you're on the fence about your purchase.

19th December 2014

I was lucky enough to be invited to a Glenfarclas tasting hosted by the chairman of the family-owned company himself and we had the 12, 15, 25, and 40. The freshness of the 40 blew me away. Hard to believe this liquid had spent four full decades on wood. The first-fill sherry casks really delivered their entire goodness, it seems. There's a lot of candied orange, joined by sherry, caramel, and butterscotch. Less wood on the palate than the 25, in my opinion. Nice drawn-out toasty finish. This is a fresh and lovely Scotch and I'm frankly shocked at the price -- I had expected considerably higher for something of this age. Might have to consider treating myself and adding this to the "special occasion" shelf!

23rd October 2014

Very great whisky, quality/price is pretty good.

At nose: complex, sherry friuty, liquor notes, a hints of chocolate, very deep, never ending...
At palate: rich and elegant, spices, intense sherry wood but not out of place at all. A hint of slighty mint (maybe?).
Final: smooth firewood, dark chocolate and more spices (maybe nutmeg?)

Very good whisky. Thanks Angels for left a huge part for us! :D

16th June 2014