Glenfarclas 31 Years Old

This official Glenfarclas, a 31 year old, from 1981, at 42.8%, 480 bottles in all. Glenfarclas, the glen of green grass, is a richly sherried Speyside single malt. It draws on that deep inventory for the Family Casks, single vintages reaching back to the 1950s. It has been run by six generations of the Grant family, one of Scotch whisky's last truly independent houses. It holds some sixty eight thousand casks on site in dunnage warehouses, with stock from every year since 1953.

Taken gently through wash and spirit stills, the direct fired stills lending a nutty depth. A Port cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending maple and dried fig as beeswax and old leather linger. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. The cool, slow dunnage ageing loses little to evaporation, the spirit holding its depth.

At 42.8% it is smooth and rich. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with red berry, plum and a dry spice from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a rich Speyside malt of dried fruit and nut.