Glenfarclas The Family Casks 17 Years Old 1989

Glenfarclas from the distillery, a 17 year old, from 1989, cask 11721, at 60%, 600 bottles in all. Glenfarclas is a Speyside single malt matured almost wholly in sherry casks from Jerez. Its six stills are the largest in Speyside and among the very few still fired directly, now by gas. It was licensed in 1836 under Robert Hay and bought in 1865 by John Grant for 511 pounds.

The spirit was run slowly off the spirit still, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. Maturation came in an Oloroso sherry cask, layered over the full Glenfarclas make. Through oxidative maturity the esters concentrate, the orchard notes turning to raisin, fig and a dark chocolate. The full bodied spirit takes active sherry wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

At a natural 60% it is full and rich. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is the family sherry malt of Ballindalloch.