Glenfarclas 17 Year Old bottled 1990s

Glenfarclas is one of the few distilleries in Scotland that is still in family hands. Since 1865 the Grants family has been at the helm. John Grant, 5th generation, will in due course leave the company in the hands of his son George, i.e. 6th generation. But that’s for the future. I’m tasting an ‘old’ Glenfarclas today. Old as in bottled before 1992, so distilled before 1975, because 17 Year Old. It’s a 75cl bottle.

On the nose I get soft, creamy sherry with a spoonful of balsamico, some gooseberries and a subtle trace of smoke. Beeswax and vanilla, too, but the emphasis is on stewed fruits with raisins in the lead. In the background, there’s a hint of mocha.

Silky soft on the palate, mouthcoating and warming. Nicely spiced too (cloves). Damn, this is good stuff. Licquorice, no doubt about it. Fruity with dades and prunes, as can be expected from a sherry cask.

The finish, medium in length, remains sweet, but with an oak lining.

A bottle of Glenfarclas 17 Year Old costs about 60 EUR today. If the current bottles are as good as this older one, then that’s money well spent.

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