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Glenfarclas 17 Year Old

Nicely complex yet robust

0 789

RReview by @Rigmorole

25th Apr 2013

0

Glenfarclas 17 Year Old
  • Nose
    ~
  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
    ~
  • Overall
    89

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

Nose: High quality sherry, oak, mint, toffee

Palate: Acceleration of sherry the swells to a crescendo, caramel, plums, dates, raisins, hazelnuts, lemon peel, toffee, white cake, marzipan.

Finish: Oak again, hazelnuts, caramel, sherry.

I know my description above sounds perhaps overly sweet tasting to some readers, but I should say that it maintains a wonderfully dry composition that avoids sickly sweet and merely seasons the tongue with hints without being too much.

In fact, I find it to be restrained at first, and then swelling on the mouthfeel to release its full flavor spectrum. This kind of delayed release is something I greatly value when it comes to the palette. No, it's not a "sherry bomb" so to speak, but it is smooth and delightful.

I rank this one above the Aberlour 18, which can be a tad "bourbony" when compared with the sophisticated presence of the Glenfarclas 17. Yes, bourbon flavors are great and all, but not in a glass of expensive single malt scotch, at least not to me.

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7 comments

R
Rigmorole commented

I forgot to mention the length of the finish: luxuriously long.

11 years ago 0

@alteredstate
alteredstate commented

rigmorole nice review sounds very tasty! Timing couldn't be better as i am leaning towards the glenfarclas 17 vs abunadh #44 that I couldn't decide between all week for my next purchase! Thanks!

11 years ago 0

R
Rigmorole commented

The 17 is worth every dime.

11 years ago 0

R
Rigmorole commented

I like comparing it to the Glengoyne 17. They're in the same ballpark. It does beat the Goyne but the Goyne is $65 in Portland and the Farc 17 is over $90.

11 years ago 0

@alteredstate
alteredstate commented

it just so happens i have the goyne 17 and find it a bit too subtle for my tastebuds nowadays. good for the upcoming summer though. I think my peaty/smoky dram streak is ruining me for the lighter side of single malts! doh! Do you think the farc 17 more of a subtler dram like the goyne 17? or a bit bolder? yes, it is pricey over here at $90 too! thanks!

11 years ago 0

R
Rigmorole commented

The Goyne 17 is sharper and more pungent. Farc 17 has a wider palate range. As for "strength" I would say that the Farc is stronger with more flavors but that each flavor does not peak quite as high as the Goyne's. It was a better rounded dram than the Goyne. If you are now a peat head then you might try thinking in terms of how Farc is simply different rather than being "weaker." If peat is like Mercedes Benz G Class then The Farc is like a Porsche Cayman. Different but not in competition with each other. Each is better in its own way. I never mix sherry scotches and peaty ones on the same day. The peat will indeed ruin your tastebuds if you try to drink a sherry scotch afterwards. Ditto for heavy garlic in food. The garlic will kill my tastebuds for a good scotch afterwards.

11 years ago 0

@alteredstate
alteredstate commented

great analogy! thanks for helping me better understand the differences. extremely well put! i am indeed no longer mixing drams as much. Or starting off with speyside and ending with peat. good advice on garlic, didnt know that. much appreciated!

11 years ago 0