Glenfarclas 25 Year Old

Nose: Light. Nectarine with a touch of almond and butter; the fruit becomes even lighter strawberry/rose. A faster inhale reveals black caffeine (either tea, coffee or bitter chocolate).

Palate: Entrance of toffee and raw almond-- though a bit muted or stale (steamed white rice or the smell of coffee grounds). Some very dark cocoa becomes more apparent throughout the experience. (This cocoa gives the usual sophisticated bitterness, but the bitterness is lessened if given the chance to oxidize, developing some caramel.) Not much fruit here, but maybe thin strawberry juice if you had to point to one.

Finish: Woody caramel and a sensation of having just eaten some dark chocolate, which lasts medium-long.

The 25 is smooth and a bit dark. Compared to the 21, this is more cocoa and "muted" rather than peach/nut and lively. This is even more true compared to the 15, which looks like a bright flashy dancer-- vs. the casual onlooker in a dark corner. So if you're exploring the Glenfarclas range, don't expect the 25's character to be similar to either the 15 or 21.

The closest Glenfarclas is the 30, as they both share these smooth/muted/dark characteristics. I describe them very similarly. The main difference is that the 30 gives more grape character, whereas the 25 gives other light fruits and more cocoa (especially in the finish).

The closest other malt I can think of is the Macallan 18, which is less flat in the palate. Both have the same strong cocoa sensation, but the Macallan has more grape/wood/zest, whereas the Glenfarclas may have more cream/nut. Both are excellent for this shade.

Find where to buy Glenfarclas whisky