This mature classic Glenfarclas is often labelled as epitomising the long-aged sherried style of Speyside whiskies. Described by the distillery as an after-dinner whisky, the bottling has been bestowed with a raft of industry awards over the years.
Nose: Gentle fruits and older aromas. Sweetness from golden syrup and brown sugars alongside apple and orange peels. There’s some furniture polish and varnish which hint at a longer maturation. A touch of nuttiness and mustiness make way for herbal tea and slight damp mustiness.
Taste: A silky smooth delivery which brings with it some spice – pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. The deeper sherried notes come up to play now with raisins, dried fruit cake and some tropical flavours of bananas. There’s a sharp citrus providing some liveliness alongside cold coffee with a touch of bitterness towards the back palate.
Finish: Medium to long and quite woody with peppery cask spice.
Glenfarclas 25 year old is both mellow and highly civilised. Its balances its age with some well-judged sherry influence, as well as just the right amount of cask spicing. A slight step up in price from the 21 year old, but a discernible step up in quality too.