Glenfarclas 10 Years Old

Glenfarclas from the distillery, a 10 year old, at 40%. Glenfarclas is a Speyside single malt from Ballindalloch, in the heart of Speyside. Its whiskies are bottled at their natural colour, without chill filtration. Its spirit is matured almost wholly in sherry butts brought up from Jerez. It was licensed in 1836 under Robert Hay and bought in 1865 by John Grant for 511 pounds.

It was taken gently through wash and spirit stills, the direct fired stills lending a nutty depth. It was matured in an Oloroso sherry cask, the wood working deep into the malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Maturation runs slow and even in the dunnage warehouses at Ballindalloch. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. The cool, slow dunnage ageing loses little to evaporation, the spirit holding its depth.

At 40% it is rich, fruity and deep. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. The close is rich and dark, fruit over a warm spice. This is Glenfarclas's deep, fruity Speyside style.