Glenfarclas Golden G 18 Years Old 1985

Glenfarclas from the distillery, an 18 year old, from 1985, cask 2823, at 48.5%, 308 bottles in all. Glenfarclas is a deep, dark Speyside malt of dried fruit, nut and spice. It has been run by six generations of the Grant family, one of Scotch whisky's last truly independent houses. Its whiskies are bottled at their natural colour, without chill filtration.

It was distilled to a rich, generous cut, for a weighty, nutty spirit the sherry then deepens. It was fully matured in an Oloroso sherry cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. Active wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At 48.5%, undiluted, it is dark and full. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked apple and a warm cinnamon lift the middle. The finish is rounded, dark and spiced. This is a Speyside single malt of real standing.