The Whisky Brand To Get To Know This Winter
CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GLENFARCLAS
Glenfarclas means ‘Valley of the Green Grassland’ in Gaelic. It has been producing single malt scotch for over 150 years and was the first whisky producer in Scotland to sell ‘cask-strength’ whisky, back in 1968. In 2007, Glenfarclas released the 'Family Casks' range, a collection of the best single casks from the distillery, with a bottling released every year since 1954, and new bottles introduced each year.
The distillery sits at the foot of Ben Rinnes in the Scotch industry heartland of Speyside. The team uses the spring water that filters through the underlying granite of the mountain to supply Glenfarclas. Distilled twice in traditional direct-fired stills, the spirit is then aged in ex-Oloroso sherry casks from Bodega José y Miguel Martin Jose and Miguel Martin in Spain. The result is a timeless collection of aged whiskies.
Whether you’re looking for something to leave under the tree for a loved one or are on the hunt for something special to share as a family on Christmas Day, Glenfarclas has a range of bottles to suit all requirements.
Keen to explore its hero products? Callum Fraser, distillery manager at Glenfarclas, talks us through some of the best bottles…
BEST FOR BEGINNERS: Glenfarclas 15 Year Old, £48.95
“Filled at 46% ABV, this amber-coloured dram is for everyone from whisky novices to connoisseurs. On the nose, you pick up the Oloroso sherry casks it has been matured in, sweetened by the burnt toffee notes coming from the direct-fired stills here at Glenfarclas. On the palate, you’ll get Christmas cake, toffee and a fantastic spicy note that dances on the tongue.”
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BEST FOR COLLECTORS: Glenfarclas 185th Anniversary Bottling, £140
“This was created to celebrate 185 years of legal distillation at Glenfarclas. Casks were chosen from five different decades and married together to create something quite magical. This dram has so much complexity, from the wonderfully sweet nose that allows you to detect flavours from many years ago, to the fruity spiciness that comes from some of our younger whiskies. This whisky cannot ever be repeated and is truly a one off.”
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BEST FOR DRINKING TOGETHER: Glenfarclas 10 Year Old, £33.35
“This is the Rolls Royce of its age group – lively, fragrant and approachable. On the nose, expect spicy apple crumble, custard and marzipan. The flavours on the palate are stewed apples and toffee, along with an unbelievable richness coming from the fresh Oloroso sherry.”
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BEST FOR GIFTING: Glenfarclas Miniature Gift Pack, £32.99
“This is a fantastic opportunity to savour all the finest whiskies Glenfarclas offers. The 21 year old is the reason our distillers come to work. It has a wonderful complex nose with burnt caramel, chocolate and wildflower garden mint. This is a smooth, rich, Christmassy dram, with dark chocolate overtones, and a wonderful long and deep finish that just keeps going.”
Visit HouseOfMalt.com
BEST FOR A BLOW THE BUDGET PRESENT: Glenfarclas 30 Year Old, £490
“This is a wonderfully complex, mahogany whisky that has a beautiful velvet mouthfeel that lingers on for a long time after the dram is finished. On the nose you’ll get burnt caramel and toffee with hints of wild garden mint. On the palate, look for rich Christmas pudding flavours – think sultanas, currents, treacle and dark chocolate.”
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Tempted? To learn more about the distillery and its whiskies, head to Glenfarclas.com
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