Glenfarclas The Family Reserve 19 Years Old 1987

A distillery release of Glenfarclas, a 19 year old, from 1987, cask 1837, at 48.5%, 679 bottles in all. Glenfarclas, the glen of green grass, is a richly sherried Speyside single malt. Its whiskies are bottled at their natural colour, without chill filtration. It has been run by six generations of the Grant family, one of Scotch whisky's last truly independent houses.

It was taken gently through wash and spirit stills, giving a deep, full bodied Speyside spirit. It was matured in an Oloroso sherry cask, the wood working deep into the malt. Through oxidative maturity the esters concentrate, the orchard notes turning to raisin, fig and a dark chocolate. Active wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body.

At a natural 48.5% it is full and rich. A rich, sherried sweetness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a dark, fruity Speyside single malt.