Glenfarclas The Family Casks 21 Years Old 2001

Glenfarclas from the distillery, a 21 year old, from 2001, cask 3383, at 55.1%, 574 bottles in all. Glenfarclas is a Speyside single malt matured almost wholly in sherry casks from Jerez. 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 worked unhurried through the stillhouse, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the American oak lending vanilla and a light honey. At oxidative maturity aldehydes lend a nutty edge while ellagitannins draw a drying, structured grip across the fruit. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register.

At a natural 55.1% it is full and rich. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, lifted by a sweet oak. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.