Glenfarclas 20 Years Old

A distillery release of Glenfarclas, a 20 year old, at 46%, 2000 bottles in all. Glenfarclas is a Speyside single malt, the house behind the pioneering 105 cask strength. Its water rises from the granite of Ben Rinnes, above the distillery at Ballindalloch. Its slow, cool dunnage maturation loses very little to the angels each year.

It was taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for a weighty, nutty spirit the sherry then deepens. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the full character to the fore. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body. The full bodied spirit takes active sherry wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow and sweet. Fig, walnut and a bittersweet chocolate, lifted by a sweet oak. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real richness.