Glenfarclas The Family Casks 25 Years Old 1993

This official Glenfarclas, a 25 year old, from 1993, cask 4662, at 56.8%, 434 bottles in all. Glenfarclas is a Speyside single malt, the house behind the pioneering 105 cask strength. Its spirit is matured almost wholly in sherry butts brought up from Jerez.

Drawn from a thick, heavy wash, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending a creamy vanilla. At this evaporative stage ellagitannins lend structure while oxidation builds a richer raisin and treacle. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. Active wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

Bottled at a cask strength 56.8%, it is deep and concentrated. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, lifted by a sweet oak. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real richness.