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Glenfarclas 25 Year Old

This is value

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@conorrobReview by @conorrob

28th Mar 2020

0

Glenfarclas 25 Year Old
  • Nose
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  • Taste
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  • Finish
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  • Balance
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  • Overall
    89

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A 25 year old well constructed Sherry cask whisky from Speyside for just over £100... how is this still a thing? Obviously the time travelling team at Glenfarclas are still pricing at late 90's prices. Not that I am complaining.

Nose Sherry, sherry, sherry... but despite all this sweetness up front the nose can only be described as gentle. Raisins and a touch of freshly cut wood.

Palate Plenty of sherry here too along with lingering dark fruits but this dram somehow manages to be both sweet and savoury which I imagine is the effect of the oak which translates here as sawn wood and fatty nuts - cashews spring to mind. There's a herbacious note lingering here in the background too. Maybe sage

Finish The finish is long and sweet. Heavy sherry here too which I have to say by this point I am not surprised to find. I am however surprised at how long it leaves my tongue tingling.

In conclusion this whisky is real value for money. Lots of sherry which is typical of Glenfarclas. The finished product is a surprisingly well balanced 'sherry bomb' which is oily and dense. Leaving you feeling satisfied well after you have finished chewing ...... Stock up before the inevitable price rises which have seemingly started to effect the rest of the range.

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6 comments

@RianC
RianC commented

@conorrob - Nice review, thanks. I recently opened a bottle of this and the finish has this bitterness that I'm just not getting on with - seems like from some tired wood? The rest is OK but I find it a little underpowered and thin in the mouth. A bad batch, perhaps, but such is my experience with Glenfarclas, for every belter there's a 'not quite there bottle ' just round the corner ...

Shame, as I was expecting something more like you describe here.

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

@conorrob. I bought a bottle of GF 21 recently and my impression is much like that of @RianC. It’s just not quite right. I much prefer the trusty 15. But at 100 quid for a 25 year old, you can’t not buy it. Nice review, thanks.

4 years ago 2Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC commented

@BlueNote - Hate to say it but maybe the NAS guys are right ... age doesn't matter satisfied

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

@RianC Don’t start... stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye

4 years ago 2Who liked this?

@conorrob
conorrob commented

@RianC Thanks man. SO many people in my circle say the exact same thing... that the barrels are poor quality etc, and I've read it multiple times here and with other reviewers. I still struggle to see it myself which may just show my own inadequacies more than anything else. I find Glenfarclas so well priced that I can't keep away from it, it's been one of my favourite distilleries for a long time and remains so to this day. BUT it would make sense that they are cutting corners if price alone is taken into consideration right? @BlueNote The GF 21 is so similar to this one in my opinion.. but it just doesn't cost much more for the 25 which makes it hard for me not to look at this one in more favourable terms... but yeah the 15 is a stunner.

TO be clear - £115 buys you some great whisky... in some cases multiple bottles of great whisky... but a 25 year old .... hard to resist right? :-D

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC commented

@conorrob - Don't get me wrong, it's a decent dram, just a bit underwhelming given the age and price. I paid £99 for it, which is a steal in today's market, but ive had whisky for under £30 that I've enjoyed more. I don't doubt better bottles/batches exist though.

Hey ho, just shows how much casks matter and I'd guess it wouldn't take much for some bitterness to come out in whisky aged for so long? Wouldn't stop me buying a Glenfarclas again though relaxed

4 years ago 1Who liked this?