I still remember when I first tried Glenfarclas 25 Year Old, at the first Spirits in the Sky festival (back in 2007). We had quite a few drams already and the four of us decided to bring together all our coins for this last whisky. I was quite fond of it back then, but that’s no guarantee for a recent bottling.
Glenfarclas 25 yo (43%, OB 2015)
Nose: slightly thinner and more restrained than how I remember it. Orange peel, ripe apples and golden raisins. Liquorice and mint. Chocolate coated nuts. Some meaty hints, as well as a sour Morello cherry top note.
Mouth: silky attack with oily citrus notes, a bit of sappy oak and a range of spices (cloves, cinnamon, aniseed). Oranges. Walnuts. Fairly dry with a salty touch and a gentle bitterness of herbal liqueur. Cold coffee towards the end.
Finish: medium long, dry, on dark chocolate, oak and herbs.
I prefer Glenfarclas with more sherry and a bit more oomph. This is fine, but very delicate and with less value for money than some of its younger brothers in my opinion. Quite a fair price in today’s market. Available from The Whisky Exchange or Master of Malt for instance.
Score: 85/100