Glenfarclas The Family Casks 29 Years Old 1988

Glenfarclas from the distillery, a 29 year old, from 1988, cask 6986, at 53.3%, 507 bottles in all. Glenfarclas is a richly sherried Speyside single malt, run by the Grant family since 1865. Its spirit is matured almost wholly in sherry butts brought up from Jerez. Its whiskies are bottled at their natural colour, without chill filtration.

The spirit was drawn from a thick, heavy wash, the direct fired stills lending a nutty depth. It was fully matured in an Oloroso sherry cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. In the oxidative, evaporative years the spirit concentrates to dried fruit, dark chocolate and a waxy, resinous depth. Active wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

Bottled at a cask strength 53.3%, it is deep and concentrated. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.