Whisky: Glenfarclas 17 Year (c. 1990s)

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 43%

Age: 17 Years

Nose: Dried fruits, stewed stone fruit, subtle sherry funk, pomegranate seeds, leather, red berries, hints of holly and strawberry, cosmetics and waxy lipstick.

Palate: Medium to light body, strawberry, plum, hints of melon, musty flower garden, chocolate, wood, tart fruit at the end.

Finish: Medium-length with a mellow bitterness, wood, and fruit.

Score: 5

Mental Image: Summer Popsicle Sticks

Narrative & Notes: There was no mistaking the sherry-forward aroma as dried fruits, bubbling stone fruits, and a subtle sherry funk— almost leather or almond— wafted out of the glass. Subtle notes of sweet pomegranate seeds, red berries, and strawberries appeared with hints of holly and waxy lipstick and slightly synthetic cosmetics. The palate was medium to light-bodied with vibrant strawberry, chocolate, unripe plum, melon, and musty hints of garden florals. Woody elements grew with time and brought to mind biting or licking a fruit popsicle stick. Toward the end, slightly sour and tart fruits popped in and lingered on a medium-length but subtle finish with hints of wood and fruit.

Glenfarclas is one of the most successful and long-lived family-owned distilleries, litigious in protecting its brand and trademarks, affordable compared to much of its competition, and almost always a good value-to-quality proposition. Yet, Glenfarclas has never really tickled my fancy. Even knowing dedicated Farclas-Afficiandos, I have never quite clicked with the distillery.

I thought this had lovely elements, even if sherry-forward profiles are not often my favorite; however, as with many other Glenfarclas bottlings, it was too light for my taste. The palate needed some weight behind the flavors, and the finish felt incomplete. I had hoped that this slightly older bottling from Japan might have a bit of extra oomph. During a recent whisky club tasting, the bottle scored near the bottom of the pack and felt relatively forgettable.