Glenfarclas 1978 Edition N°7

A 23 year old Glenfarclas, a distillery bottling, from 1978, at 52.4%, 1200 bottles in all. Glenfarclas is a deep, dark Speyside malt of dried fruit, nut and spice. It launched the 105 in 1968, one of the first cask strength single malts sold to the public. It was licensed in 1836 under Robert Hay and bought in 1865 by John Grant for 511 pounds. Direct firing chars the wash a little, lending the rich, nutty depth Glenfarclas is known for.

Distilled in copper pot stills, the direct fired stills lending a nutty depth. An Oloroso sherry cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. In the oxidative, evaporative years the spirit concentrates to dried fruit, dark chocolate and a waxy, resinous depth. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. Active wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt.

Bottled at a cask strength 52.4%, it is deep and concentrated. A rich, sherried sweetness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. The close is rich and dark, fruit over a warm spice. This is a dark, fruity Speyside single malt.