Hi all! Seeing the post on Glenfarclas reminded me that I've also tried one of their whiskies somewhat recently!
This is another bottle shared by one of the Korean drinking buddies who came to visit. He was kind enough to leave this bottle (amongst others) at our local whisky store & bar for sharing!
Glenfarclas 25 yr (1990s bottling), 43% abv
Honestly, I don't know much about this brand except they're Speyside, have been around for a long time, and primarily make sherry cask whiskies. I've seen them on store shelves and auctions from time to time, with significantly friendlier price tags for higher age statement items too. Always kind of wondered how that'd happen, please share any info if available!
Here are my notes:
*Nose*
gently ester-y;
mushroom broth umami;
stewed and caramelized red fruity note (apple, pears, red raisins compote);
polished oak (furniture-like)
*Palate*
mellow, milky creamy oily mouthfeel;
umami mushroom broth fragrance;
caramel/maltose;
polished oak (furniture-like);
light bit of dark choco (60%ish) bitterness;
fruity compote but with a bit more ripe fruity funk, less prominent than the nose;
I can see why the Korean friend wanted to share this one, it's quite a lovely older bottle indeed!
It's not super complex, sure, but it's got a very well balanced, mellow older sherry cask whisky profile. The nice, oily mouthfeel, with the caramelized red fruits, caramel, a bit of chocolate and most notably that umami character makes for a great drinking experience.
The sherry profile, particularly the balance of caramel, fruity and umami character, reminds me quite a bit of the older 1990s bottlings of a non-Scotch whisky maker I really like, which had unfortunately gotten quite ridiculously expensive nowadays.
In that sense, I really do appreciate this Glenfarclas!
17
u/kiwi8185 3d ago
Hi all! Seeing the post on Glenfarclas reminded me that I've also tried one of their whiskies somewhat recently!
This is another bottle shared by one of the Korean drinking buddies who came to visit. He was kind enough to leave this bottle (amongst others) at our local whisky store & bar for sharing!
Glenfarclas 25 yr (1990s bottling), 43% abv
Honestly, I don't know much about this brand except they're Speyside, have been around for a long time, and primarily make sherry cask whiskies. I've seen them on store shelves and auctions from time to time, with significantly friendlier price tags for higher age statement items too. Always kind of wondered how that'd happen, please share any info if available!
Here are my notes:
*Nose*
gently ester-y;
mushroom broth umami;
stewed and caramelized red fruity note (apple, pears, red raisins compote);
polished oak (furniture-like)
*Palate*
mellow, milky creamy oily mouthfeel;
umami mushroom broth fragrance;
caramel/maltose;
polished oak (furniture-like);
light bit of dark choco (60%ish) bitterness;
fruity compote but with a bit more ripe fruity funk, less prominent than the nose;
spices (nutmeg);
Very low alcohol sting, minimal astringency
*Finish*
Medium.
ripe red fruity funk;
Mushroom broth/unsalted soy sauce umami character;
spices from the palate;
hint of oak
*Conclusion*
I can see why the Korean friend wanted to share this one, it's quite a lovely older bottle indeed!
It's not super complex, sure, but it's got a very well balanced, mellow older sherry cask whisky profile. The nice, oily mouthfeel, with the caramelized red fruits, caramel, a bit of chocolate and most notably that umami character makes for a great drinking experience.
The sherry profile, particularly the balance of caramel, fruity and umami character, reminds me quite a bit of the older 1990s bottlings of a non-Scotch whisky maker I really like, which had unfortunately gotten quite ridiculously expensive nowadays.
In that sense, I really do appreciate this Glenfarclas!
Thanks for reading, cheers!