Whisky: Glenfarclas 15 Year (2004), SMWS 1.215 “Formidable chocolate”

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 58.7%

Cask: Bourbon Barrel (13Y), First Fill Oloroso Hogshead

Age: 15 Years (Distilled 10 May 2004)

Nose: Chocolate, dried fruit, and pepper; cocoa butter with raisins, dried plums, and subtle baking spices with tingling cinnamon, chicory, and nutmeg; woodsy and more botanical with time.

Palate: Medium-bodied and viscous with an oily finish, dried fruits and tingling spice with a touch of petrol or garage rags: black pepper, cinnamon, licorice, and chicory; chocolate with hints of cream, more lacquered wood, nutmeg, and heather toward the end.

Finish: Medium to long and drying with cocoa, dried grass, and pepper.

Score: 6+ (80)

Mental Image: Sampling the Baking Supplies

Narrative & Notes: Aptly named by SMWS, this Glenfarclas was loaded with sherry-cask-driven cocoa and baking spices.  A bit of creamy spirit and heather came through, though the first fill oloroso hogshead was largely in control. I enjoyed the desserty aspects of the malt and cask, though I wish more espresso or richer roasty notes also came through.  This lacked the unctuous richness that I really adore on cask strength Glenfarclas and often find missing on their core products. However, it still had hints of petrol and dirty garage shop rags, those motor oil and slightly dirtier notes that give Glenfarclas some of its depth.

We included this as part of a big “newbie tasting set” for members of our local whisky group during the pandemic, and this is one of the last samples that I never got around to reviewing.  I think it made for a good introduction to Glenfarclas for anyone unfamiliar with the distillery and certainly showed off the sort of bright spice that potential scotch fans coming from bourbon or Irish pot still might enjoy.

Overall, good, not great.

About Glenfarclas

Always quaffable and nearly always a bargain compared to other brands, especially for its higher age statements. The malt shines at cask strength, though those releases are less common.

Renowned for their attention to detail and dedication to tradition, the Grant family has one foot in scotch history and another in its future. Much like Springbank in Campbeltown, Glenfarclas has a reputation for sticking with what works, yet their emphasis on brand identity (and legal enforcement of their trademarks) has made them a trendsetter and pioneer of the single malt market we enjoy today, even opening a visitor center way back in 1973.

Established in 1836, Glenfarclas has been in the hands of the Grant family since 1865. During the booming 1960s and 70s, the distillery underwent a massive expansion and transformation. Glenfarclas maintains a diverse portfolio of products that shift and change slightly occasionally (even if the labeling has remained relatively constant). The whisky produced there is rich and heavy as a slightly larger cut of the tails taken during distillation provides extra body to hold up against the sherry maturation for which the distillery is famous.

Style: Rich and malty, dried fruits and baking spice, typically sherried.