Spot Offer #115: Glenfarclas 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Glenfarclas Distillery 15 Year Old Single Malt

PRODUCER PROFILE | Glenfarclas Distillery

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Why We Love It:

In a marketplace dominated by huge mega-corporate brands, Glenfarclas Distillery remains a beacon of independence producing whiskies of enormous character and personality, amidst a sea of other spirits. Today in the hands of 5th and 6th generation whisky makers John Grant and his son George, Glenfarclas remains one of only a handful of family owned and managed distilleries in all of Scotland. Here in the Scottish Highlands, the Grant family produce distinctive Speyside Malts renowned for their heavy sherry wood influence. While Glenfarclas produces a wide range of ages, from 10 years old right up to 40 year old bottlings, the Cask Strength 105 on offer here today remains a perennial favourite amongst our customers here in Ontario, and something of a rarity among the whisky producers of Scotland.

The heather-clad slopes of Ben Rinnes behind the distillery are bright purple through the summer, but turn to white with snow each winter. The melting snow seeps down into the ground each spring, through the peat and into the granite, along which it runs and washes back to the surface as pure, crystal clear spring water. This water forms the basis of Glenfarclas whiskies. By law, any product carrying the name “Scotch Whisky” must age for a minimum of 3 years, be aged in Scotland, only in oak casks – and these casks may not be larger than 700 litres. Glenfarclas uses 100% former sherry casks (used to age Oloroso and Fino style Sherries) which are either 250 litres or 500 litres in capacity.

Casks are laid down to rest in Glenfarclas’ cellars dating back the 1880s, whose thick stone walls help to regulate and maintain a consistent and level temperature. When put down to sleep, the barrels are not disturbed for the first 8 years. Assembling the final blends of each age of Glenfarclas Whisky is one of the great gifts handed down from father to son in this generational business, and in many ways, a blend in and of itself – part innate instinct and part acquired skill which comes from growing up around the business and following in the footsteps of the masters who came before. Great blending is simply something that isn’t ascertained by reading a book on the subject – and this impact (I think of it as a soul) is felt and tasted in each bottle of Glenfarclas.

Price:

BOTTLE: $114.95

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Technical Specs:

ALCOHOL: 46.0%

BOTTLE: 700mL

CASE PACK: 6 x 700mL

ORIGIN: Speyside

NOSE: Complex, oaky, apples, pears + dark toffee sweetness

FLAVOUR: Dry and assertive with rich spiciness + hint of oak + sherried fruit

FINISH: Amazingly smooth for the strength with lingering smokiness + spice

Tasting Notes:

“An incredible dram from Glenfarclas, we can’t say enough about it. It’s a juicy, Christmas cake of a whisky, absolutely huge! This 15 year old matured in sherry wood, a superb malt which earned 95 points from Jim Murray. A lot of the whisky in this is clearly much older than 15 years, this is a really sherried dram and we love it.”

MasterOfMalt.com

95 / 100 Points

Jim Murray / Whisky Bible

Spot Offer #115: Glenfarclas 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
SHOP NOW | Store Locator


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