The Whiskey Chaps

Glenfarclas x6 Christmas 2020 Whisky tasting

Posted on December 27, 2020

Glenfarclas Single Whisky has been distilled on Speyside for six generations by one family – the Grants. The Glenfarclas Distillery was established in 1836, on the Recherlich Farm at Ballindalloch. In 1865, purchased by John Grant for £511.19s.0d

Whiskey Chap

Glenfarclas 10, 15, 21, 25, 105, 11yr old Southport bottling tasted on the 23rd December 2020.

Glenfarclas 10yr old, 40% ABV.

Appearance – This is light straw in colour, it’s very viscous tbh, and has lovely syrupy legs for a 10 yr old.

Nose – I’m initially getting cocktail cherries and sweet lemon, there’s definitely cereals in there, I’ll go flapjack atm. I’m going to say a lemon/honey mix, it’s sweeter than I expected tbh, it’s nice though.

Palate – It’s still very sweet, I’d say tropical and stoned fruits, there’s a bit of white pepper bite too which is nice. The vegetal notes are still there and it’s developing for me into spicier and darker notes. I’m getting an oiliness now, I’m taste and texture, we differ here, I’m liking this tbh, it’s good for a 10yr old imho. And a sneaky hint of salt too.

Finish – It’s medium in length, there’s still sweetness and tropical fruits, not much in the way of wood though, quite light tbh.

Overall – That’s not bad for an entry level drop, I’ve had others that are far more disappointing tbh. I rather enjoyed it. It’s not a wow whisky, but is a good entry whisky.

Glenfarclas 15yr old, 46% ABV.

Appearance – It’s slightly darker than the 10, damp straw perhaps, again it’s quite viscous with slow syrupy legs.

Nose – The difference in ABV is quite surprising, it’s deeper, bolder, and spicier. We have figs, cream soda, bbq meat, sweet liquorice.

Palate – Nice mouthfeel, lots more depth, still citrus spicy with white pepper, cinnamon, some ginger, not the sweet stuff though, salty again, and oily, I would even say slightly nutty too, really nice tbh.

Finish – Quite a bit longer than the 10, still oily, salty, minty, honey, much spicier too, honey, cinnamon, pushing into cigar leaves here tbh. And after a while there’s a perfumed note, right before it starts to fade, it’s very nice.

Overall – As much as the 10yr old is a great entry level whisky in my opinion, this 15yr old jumps way ahead in all areas, i would say that paying the extra to get this 15yr old is well worth it, it’s only £15-16 more. a bottle i’d definitely buy.

Glenfarclas 21yr old, 43% ABV.

Appearance – This is light straw in colour like the 10yr old, very viscous again, syrupy thick swirl line and thick legs.

Nose – As we’re going through these I’m getting some similar notes, so presuming it’s their spirit dna. Menthol again, thicker tropical and stoned fruits like the 10yr old. Sweet cocktail cherries, and some light dunnage notes. I’m getting cream soda again, perhaps a little touch of furniture Polish now, it’s getting dusty, but it’s also elegant.

Palate – Ooooh very confectionery sweet initially, jelly beans and fruit cocktail syrup from a can, sugar coated lemon sweet slices, oily in mouthfeel and in flavour, salinity is there also, but mainly confectionery, reminds me of Strathisla 12 with the sweeties. It has some Campbeltown oiliness going on, I really like this.

Finish – They’re getting longer, and spicier on the finish, black pepper now, ginger, hot cinnamon, dark chocolate, cigar leaves, dunnage, I think the age difference really shows here on the finish, much darker and heavier notes.

Overall – Getting better and better as they get older in my opinion, the core flavours are there but the peripheral flavours have changed slightly, there’s more depth too, a cracking drop that i’d definitely buy.

Glenfarclas 25yr old, 43% ABV.

Appearance – This one is damp straw in colour, similar to the 15yr old, again very viscous on the glass, with syrupy thick legs.

Nose – We have many of the notes from the younger drops, now it has cherry syrup, cut grass/hay, more cereals, still menthol, still a sweet affair on the nose, a little BBQ meats note, and furniture Polish again.

Palate – Loverly mouthfeel and gentle arrival, it’s still tropical/stoned fruits for me, some white pepper, oiliness too, a slight salinity, not as much as the others though, cheesecake base here too, it’s slowly building up.

Finish – Medium length, lovely warming gentle spices, a little oak, black pepper, a little dryness, and salinity again.

Overall – Of the age statement official distillery bottling this was my favourite, the depth, maturity and marriage of casks is wonderful, i could very easily sit with a couple of drops of this any evening.

Glenfarclas 105, 60% ABV.

Appearance – This drop is also damp straw in colour, beads up on the swirl line, with small teardrop legs.

Nose –

Much higher ABV, but not a slap, cherry throat sweets, cut grass, sweet lemon, old leather, figs, more vegetal, caster sugar, hand rolling tobacco, and a slight salinity.

Palate -Loads of ABV, very very fruity, red berries, syrupy mouthfeel, floral, cut grass, perfume, cereals, nuts too, but so fruity for me.

Finish – Long now, very spicy too, dark chocolate, ginger, cinnamon, figs, dates, clove, and it gets hotter too.

Overall – The 105 is an incredible dram, 60% ABV, full of flavour and all at a very reasonable price, it’s a tough one to beat in my humble opinion.

Glenfarclas 11yr old, Southport Whisky Club bottling, 48.4% ABV.

Appearance – This is a damp straw colour, it beads up on the swirl line, and has syrupy thick legs.

Nose – The ABV seems higher again, there’s more menthol here than the others, there’s a sweetness like bubble gum, tropical fruits/ stoned fruits, the BBQ meat note is still here, all of the dna notes are still here tbh, the nuttiness has gone though.

Palate – Southport P – Pretty good mouthfeel, spicy, chilli, dark chocolate, hot ginger and cinnamon, buttery, stoned fruits, lots of apricots for me, vanilla custard, quite a bit of wood with this one too, nice after most of the others lacked it. I’ve just remembers cardamom, it’s also quite herbaceous, but the dna is still there, I’m getting oil to and guess what? Salinity.

Finish – It’s quite long, there’s definitely some berry Jammyness hiding in there, cigar leaves, a gentle smoke, black pepper, black liquorice, anise, cardamom, it’s a super finish. And nutmeg, I’m forgetting the names of flavours, I wonder why.

Overall – An independently bottled Glenfarclas that showcases the distillery’s flavour dna very well, and a bottle i’d definitely purchase, a great finishing dram to the whole tasting.

My thought’s on the whole tasting – It’s been a great pleasure to vertically taste 6 Glenfarclas whiskies, i certainly feel that i’ve experienced the Glenfarclas flavour profile dna, and it runs true through all 6 of these whiskies, and it’s one i really like to be honest, and i’d happily sit with a drop of any of these, super stuff indeed.

Thank you Paul/@WhiskynStuff for your pictures and letting us use them.

Heading picture credit – Trip Advisor.

Thanks to – @whiskeychap, @jenkaloid, @WhiskynStuff, @bogstandarddram, @RobertFifoot, @whiskyrover, @WhiskyShared.

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By Dram It Mick!

Mick Cash

Enjoying being part of the Whisk(e)y community. I’m one half of @thewhiskeychaps. My opinions are mine only.

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