Glenfarclas 8 Year (2013), SMWS 1.262 "A commune of delights"
Whisky: Glenfarclas 8 Year (2013), SMWS 1.262 "A commune of delights"
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 60.3%
Cask: Bourbon Barrel (5Y), First Fill Cosecha Wine Barrique
Age: 8 Years (Distilled 26 Feb. 2013)
Nose: Herbal and fruity, licorice with notions of musty herbal spices and candies, more subtle apples, plums, ink, and berries; more time brought out chocolate, malted milk balls, and bubble gum.
Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, herbal and fruity with old-fashioned candies or medicinal cough drops, bubble gum; more fruit punch developed with subtle tobacco, cotton candy, and cola.
Finish: Medium-length, with fruits, sodas, and bubblegum.
Score: 6 (77)
Mental Image: Fun Fair Sugar Rush
Narrative & Notes: Musty dried fruits and licorice candies provided richness to herbal mint, horehound, mugwort, and teases of lemongrass. That herbal character, familiar in old candies or cough drops, carried on with apples, plums, calligraphy ink, and subtle berries. With time came hints of chocolate, malted milk balls, and bubble gum. Medium-bodied and oily, the flavor profile was much the same but with an overarching layer of bubble gum across apricot, lime, and green apple-flavored hard candies infused with medicinal herbs. Fruit punch with subtle tobacco carried on as cotton candy and cola arrived near the end. The finish was medium-length, with fruits, sodas, and bubblegum.
Let me first admit again that I do not like bubblegum notes. Take away those, and everything else here was quite lovely, from the herbal-fruity profile to the oily mouthfeel of the malt. Yes, the flavors were a bit simple and too sweet for my taste, but I could see the appeal and found the overall effect quite enjoyable. I love old-fashioned herbal candies and cola notes, but the bubble gum was too distracting from those more virtuous elements.
Overall, a whisky for chilling and fans of sweeter fare.
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.
