Glenfarclas, 35-Year-Old, Speyside, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (43%)
About this SPIRIT
Glenfarclas Distillery, Speyside
Glenfarclas can trace its history back to 1836, when tenant farmer Robert Hay founded the distillery on the Rechlerich Farm, on the Ballindalloch Estate in Banffshire. In 1865 John Grant bought the distillery for the princely some of £511.19s.0d, when he signed the tenancy agreement for the farm. The distillery is still in the Grant family and the present John Grant is the 5th generation of the family to run the property.
Glenfarclas is a classic Speyside with notes of sweet fruit and spice and a touch of peat in the older bottlings.
Speyside Whisky
To some Speyside represents the jewel in whisky’s crown. Speyside is the home of legal whisky production and it’s best known examples. Around the world Glenlivet, Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenrothes and Glenfarclas typify all that whisky, at it’s best has to offer. At it’s heart running from the Monadhliath mountains north to the sea, is the River Spey. It is the fastest flowing river in Britain, and also well known for its salmon fishing.
Speyside is the principal whisky-producing region: Speyside has within it some forty-six operating distilleries - over half the total number in the entire Scotland.
Speysides are essentially sweet whiskies. They have little peaty character They are typically highly perfumed, feminine and elegant.
The classical nature of Speyside’s malts means that a number of the finest malts are used almost exclusively for blending. It is the top Speysider’s that give good blends their ‘Top Dressing’.
Malts such as Mortlach, Glen Elgin, Strathmill and Benrinnes are rarely found as distillery bottlings, however when individual casks are tracked down by independent bottlers such as our Own Selection Single Malt Whiskies the resultant whisky can be quite wonderful.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Glenfarclas distillery, nestled in the heart of Speyside, was founded in 1836 and today continues in family ownership under the direction of the fifth generation, John Grant. This whisky started life on the slopes of Ben Rinnes, where spring water bubbles up, crystal clear, from the underlying granite supplying the distillery below.
On the nose of this dram there’s a subtle start—wood and cinnamon take the lead, but at first sniff, the aromas are surprisingly restrained. Delving deeper into the glass reveals more intricate notes: orange peel, figs, raisins, and a hint of nutmeg gradually unfold.
James Beresford, Berry Bros. & Rudd (November 2024)
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