Glenfarclas The Family Casks 36 Years Old 1981

Glenfarclas from the distillery, a 36 year old, from 1981, cask 1606, at 54.6%, 523 bottles in all. Glenfarclas is a richly sherried Speyside single malt, run by the Grant family since 1865. It was licensed in 1836 under Robert Hay and bought in 1865 by John Grant for 511 pounds. It launched the 105 in 1968, one of the first cask strength single malts sold to the public.

Drawn from a thick, heavy wash, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak gentle behind the spirit. Ethereal and fragile, the decades draw it to a resinous, waxy depth of dried fruit, treacle and old oak. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. The full bodied spirit takes active sherry wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

At its natural 54.6% it is rich and chewy. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, lifted by a sweet oak. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. The close is rich and dark, fruit over a warm spice. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.