The 10 year old expression in Glenfarclas’s stable of core expressions is, like nearly all of their whiskies, 100% matured in oloroso sherry casks. It is the distillery’s standard entry-level whisky and comes with a very affordable price tag.
Nose: A good arrival for 40% ABV. Fruits and patisserie. Orchard apples and pears alongside some hints of pasty and light toffee. There’s a good slog of maltiness in here and a very light influence of sherry. An interesting wispy coastal breeze provides some salinity.
Taste: Stronger on the pastries now with pear tart and toffee covered red apples. Mossiness and soils run throughout and play nicely with the light fruity sherry-led inflections. Quite creamy and perfectly serviceable overall.
Finish: Short and with some tingles of cask spicing and oak bitterness.
Glenfarclas 10 year old is a simple but effective entry level bottling. There’s not much to dislike here with a good balance between fruits, sugars and just a touch of cask influence coming to bear. An easily obtainable and well-priced summer sipper.