Linkwood 1986 The Octave (Duncan Taylor)


Whisky Review # 772

Country:Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Linkwood 1986
Bottled By: Duncan Taylor in 2012 as part of The Octave series
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky (Cask # 764541) - 67 Bottles
Age: 25 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.7% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Cask with Finish in small Octave Cask
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 150-170 (November 2018)
Buying Advice: 😐 Good Single Malt. A bit simple given its age. P/Q ratio okay.

Colour:

Golden Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Mature, Sweet and Woody. Be sure to give this Linkwood sufficient time in the glass as it opens quite slowly. It's a relatively simple nose. I expected a bit more complexity after 25 years maturation.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Straw/Grass, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Strawberry, Gooseberry, Raspberry, Oak, Dried Herbs and Earth.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Yeast, Caramel, Floral Perfume, Bourbon, Almonds, Citrus, Orchard Fruit, Milk or Yogurt, Brown Sugar, Tea and Licorice.


Palate:

Bitter-Sweet, Medium Dry and Woody. A few Sour notes as well.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Green Apple, Pear, Kiwi, Cherry, Orange, Lemon, Strawberry Flavoured Ice Cream, Grass/Straw and Oak.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Floral Perfume, Caramel, Butter, Almonds, Ginger, Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Cloves and Licorice.

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. A few Sour notes towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Malted Barley, Straw, Grass, Vanilla, Caramel, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Strawberry, Green Apple, Oak, Floral Perfume, Aniseed, Licorice, Cinnamon, Ginger and Pepper.

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and that helps to open this Linkwood a little more. The general Aroma/Flavour profile does not change significantly though.

Rating: 84

Nose: 21 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience:

Good.

Conclusion:

The Linkwood distillery is located in Elgin and was founded in 1821 by P. Brown. Their Spirit has always been an important part of many Blended Whiskies. The only official core bottling is the 12 Year old Flora & Fauna. There are many independent bottlings around like the one I am reviewing today. The average production amounts to around 4 million litres per year. Linkwood is owned by the Diageo Group.

The Linkwood 1986 is a nice, relatively simple and slightly Woody Single Malt. I must admit I expected more complexity after 25 years of cask time. It's quite consistent from Nose to Finish but it misses the Wow factor. It does have body though and I can see why Blend producers would use the Spirit of this Speyside distillery. I must try and visit this Distillery in the future!

Jan van den Ende                                                              November 5 , 2018

Johnnie Walker Black Label Triple Cask Edition Review


“Where There’s No Smoke, There’s No Fire"

Whisky Review # 771

Country: Scotland
Brand: Johnnie Walker Black Label Triple Cask Edition
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: A Mix of Casks used to mature Bourbon, Scotch and Caribbean Rum
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 40-50 ( November 2018)
Buying Advice: 😒 Weak and Thin. Indifferent Wood. Negative P/Q ratio.

Colour:

Light Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light and Sweet. Strong influences of Dusty Refill Oak and Grain Alcohol. A bit of Rum but not a whole lot. Disappointing!

Main Aromas:

Toasted Cereals, Grain Alcohol, lightly Buttered Toast, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Brown Sugar, Straw, Refill Oak, Dried Fruit like Figs, Plums and Apricot, Nuts and Nut Shells, Dusty Road and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Orchard Fruit (Pear and Green Apple), Pineapple, Sugared Orange Peel, a touch of Smoke, Heather-Honey, Pepper, Ginger and Menthol.

Blair Athol
Palate:

Weak, Thin, Peppery and Sugary Sweet.

Main Flavours:

Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Brown Sugar, Dried Prunes, Dirty Earth, Refill Oak, Cinnamon, Pepper and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Smoke and Ashes, Orange, Dried Herbs and Cardamom.


Finish:

Short, Bitter-Sweet and Dry with Toasted Cereals, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Grain Alcohol, Refill Oak, Dried Prunes, Orange, Nutshells, Vanilla, Dirty Earth, a bit of Smoke and Ashes, Pepper, Cinnamon, Licorice, Weak Black Tea and Dried Herbs.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water transforms this JW in a weak Black Tea.

Rating: 77.5

Nose: 20 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 19.5

Drinking Experience:

Borderline Okay (Neat) - Okay (On the Rocks).

Conclusion:

This Limited Edition was released in May 2018 as a Travel Retail only. It's made with around 70% of Grain Alcohol produced by Cameronbridge and around 30% of Malt Whisky from Cardhu, Strathmill and Blair Athol. I don't understand why this Triple Cask was released as a Black Label as it hardly contains any Smoke. It should have been released as a Red Limited Edition and at a lower Price level! But that's not the way big business works of course. I am a long time fan of JW Black but I am really disappointed with this Triple Cask edition. It's Sugary Sweet and Thin. Lots of 3rd and 4th Refill Oak and minimum Rum influence.  A negative Price/Quality ratio. I can't recommend this and I'm glad it's a limited edition only.

Jan van den Ende                                                               November 1 , 2018

Cardhu Distillery

Lehmann Gold Review


“La Douce France”

Whisky Review # 770

Country: France
Region: Alsace
Brand: Lehmann Gold
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 7 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: 6 Years in White Bordeaux Wine casks & 1 Year in Sauternes casks.
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 60-65 (October 2018)
Buying Advice: 😉 Just forget about Scotch and enjoy this Spirit as it comes!

Colour:

Golden/Copper (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Relatively Young. Lots of Sweet Dried Fruit. Quite different when compared to Scotch Whisky. More like a mix of Bourbon, Cognac and Fruit Liqueur. Not bad though.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Dried Fruit like Apricots and Plums, Bread Dough, Orange, Stewed Orchard Fruit, Papaya Cream, Grapes and ripe Bananas.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Fresh Croissants, Wood Chips, Honey, Vanilla, Floral notes, Mandarin, Cinnamon, Pepper, Tobacco and Dusty Track.

Yves Lehmann - Picture Credit: Tourisme Obernai
Palate:

Bitter-Sweet, Buttery, Creamy and a little Spicy. Don't compare it to Scotch. Just enjoy it as it comes.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Butter, Milk, Dried Fruit like Apricots & Plums, Candied Orange, Stewed Orchard Fruit, Grapes, Pastry, Tobacco, Toffee, Pepper and Cinnamon.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Slivovitz (Plum Brandy), Vanilla, Mandarin, Nuts, Banana, Oak & Milk Chocolate.

Finish:

Bitter-Sweet, a little Thin and on the Short side. The Alcohol is more noticeable at this point. I find Toasted Cereals, Butter, Cream, Stewed Pears, Plum Liqueur, Oak Char, Vanilla, Mandarin, Honey, Pepper, Cinnamon, Milk Chocolate, Licorice and Tobacco.

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and that improves the overall drinking experience although it does not significantly change the Aroma/Flavour profile.

Rating: 81.5

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

Drinking Experience:

Good (Neat) - Okay/Good (On the Rocks).

Conclusion:

The J & M Lehmann distillery was founded in 1850 by Joseph Lehmann and is located in Obernai. It's the oldest artisan distillery in the Alsace. The distillery uses pure spring water from the heart of the Vosges Mountains for the distillery process. The Spirit is distilled twice. Next to Whisky, the distillery also produces Liqueur, Vodka and Eau de Vie.


The Lehmann Gold Whisky shows that this French distillery knows how to distill spirit. I'm pretty sure their Fruit Liqueurs and Marcs are of high quality. With the Lehmann Gold Whisky they did not try to imitate Scotch Whisky. They just followed their instincts and used their ample experiences with the distillation of Grains and Fruit. The result is certainly not bad. Lots of (Dried) Fruits & Pastry. If you are in the region and enjoy the local Choucroute d' Alsace you might consider a Lehmann Gold as an after-dinner drink alongside your coffee. Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                October 25 , 2018


Picture Credit: Cyclinginalsace.com

Dalmore Castle Leod 1995 Review, Dalmore Valour Review, Dalmore Dominium Review


“Dalmore Special”

When planning my reviews I always try to give attention to all Scottish Whisky regions as well as other Whisky/Whiskey/Bourbon producing regions all over the world with special attention to the USA, Ireland and Japan. And last but not least the blends. At the request of many readers I give preference to more recent expressions. As a result, my backlog of older samples has increased quite a bit. To do justice to those samples I will review them in the format of Specials. These specials will deal with specific distilleries like today or bottlers, regions or countries. The reviews in these Specials will concentrate more on the Whisky itself and won't touch too much details about distilleries, maturation etc. I do hope you will like these Specials just as much as my regular reviews and I look forward to your reactions and suggestions. In this special I will review three expressions produced at the Highland Distillery Dalmore. Enjoy!
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Whisky Review # 767

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Dalmore Castle Leod (Home of Clan Mackenzie) 1995 - Discontinued
Type: Single Malt Whisky - Limited Edition - 5000 Bottles - Bottled 2011
Age: 16 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: American White Oak casks and Spanish Sherry Wood finished for 18 months in Bordeaux Premier Cru Red Wine casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 380- 480 (October 2018)
Buying Advice: 😏 Good Single Malt. Negative P/Q ratio. A collectors item!

Colour:

Dark Amber with a touch of Orange (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Sweet and a little Heavy. The Red Wine (Cabernet-Sauvignon) Finish is quite noticeable. A distant hint of Sulphur perhaps. A mix of Brandy and Port Wine comes to mind. It's not bad but a little odd.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, slightly Burnt Toast, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Plums, Treacle, Brown Sugar, Salted Caramel, Seville Orange, Dark Chocolate, Ginger and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey Nut Breakfast Cereals, Vanilla, Butterscotch, Yeast, Oak, Cooked Pears, Grilled Pineapple, Nutmeg and Leather.



Palate:

Bitter-Sweet and quite Dry. The Oak is much more noticeable than on the Nose. The Red Wine casks are very present. This Dalmore could or perhaps should have been bottled at around 50%. And should not contain added Caramel.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Butterscotch, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Plums, Toasted Almonds, Seville Oranges, Dark Chocolate, Port Wine, Oak, Ginger and Cinnamon.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Straw, Coconut, Espresso, Licorice, Lemon, Pepper, Cloves, Dark Berries, Mango Cream and overripe Bananas.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and Medium-Spicy. The ABV could have been a little higher. It's not really Thin but I miss a bit of a kick. It sort of fades away. Quite Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Barley, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Plums, Nuts, Salted Caramel/Toffee, Seville Oranges, Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Mulled Red Wine, Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves, light Licorice, Dark Berries and overripe Bananas.


Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and the Nose relaxes. The overall Aroma profile does not change significantly but the balance between Whisky and Red Wine improves. Nice, clear Dark Chocolate notes. This improved balance continues on the Palate. The Finish gets an extra Spicy kick. The Castle Leod clearly improves with added Water!

Rating: 85.5

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience:

Good. A bit too much Red Wine influence for my personal taste. Added Water improves the balance.

Conclusion:

The Dalmore distillery is located close to Alness and was founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson. It is owned by Whyte & Mackay Ltd, part of Emperador Inc. During the last 15 years or so, Master Blender Richard Patterson did a lot to reposition Dalmore as a worldwide Single Malt. The distillery currently produces around 4 million litres.

This Single Malt was launched in 2011 with the specific aim to raise money for the maintenance of Castle Leod, home to the Mackenzie clan. it followed the success of the Dalmore Mackenzie that had been released a year earlier.

The Castle Leod is a well-made Single Malt that will certainly please the fans of the Whisky/Red Wine combination. Usually I'm not a big fan of this combo as the Red Wine tends to dominate the Whisky. That's also the case here although I do not complain about the quality of the Wine casks that were used. I believe that this Dalmore would have benefited from a slightly shorter Red Wine Finish and a slightly higher ABV. The Castle Leod was released as a limited edition and, as a consequence, has been discontinued in the meantime. Current prices for the remaining bottles are usually between 400 and 500 US Dollars. That's way too expensive for what this Whisky offers.



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Whisky Review # 768

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Dalmore Valour
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: I- Ex-Bourbon Casks, II- Ex-Sherry Wood, III - Port Pipe Finish.
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 60-70 (October 2018)
Buying Advice: 😡 Young Whisky that tries to hide behind a variety of Wood.

Colour:

Amber/Copper (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Relatively Young, Malty and Bitter-Sweet. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. I also find a fair amount of Sulphur. The influence of Sherry Wood and Port Pipes is noticeable but at least part of the casks is of indifferent quality.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Apricots, Raisins and Plums, Toasted Nuts, Seville Orange, Dirt Road, Ginger and Dark Red Fruit.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Almond Liqueur, Vanilla, Marzipan, Dusty Oak, Cardboard, Varnish, Milk Chocolate, Lemon, Tobacco, Leather and Cloves.



Palate:

Young, Thin, Sharp and Bitter-Sweet. The Bitterness increases along the way. The Alcohol is noticeable. There's a Blended Whisky feeling to this Dalmore.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Caramel, Treacle, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums, Apricots & Figs, Nuts, Seville Oranges, Lemon, Red Wine, Dark Berries, Pepper, Ginger and Tea.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Prune Obstler, Dusty Oak, Varnish, Dark Chocolate, Earth, Cloves, Nutmeg and Espresso.

Finish:

Young, Thin and Short. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitterness towards the Dry end. I find Toasted Barley, Caramel, Butterscotch, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Plums and Figs, Seville Orange, Coconut, Nuts and Nutshells, Dusty Refill Oak, Dark Berries, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon and Cocoa.


Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Dalmore. It's already too Thin and Rough as it is.

Rating: 77.5

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 18.5  - Overall: 19.5

Drinking Experience:

The Nose is sort of okay. The rest is below average.

Conclusion:

The Valour started its maturation in American White Oak Ex-Bourbon Casks from Boston and Clermont. The spirit was subsequently transferred to 30 year old Matusalem Oloroso casks from Gonzalez Byass. Finally the combo was finished in Douro Port Pipes from Portugal. It was released in 2013, initially for the Travel Retail market only.

The Dalmore Valour is another one of those Travel Retail releases that combines Young Whisky and a variety of indifferent Wood for some added Aroma/Flavour. I can't recommend the Valour. Better stay with the regular 12 and 15 Years if you are a Dalmore fan.


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Whisky Review # 769

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Dalmore Dominium
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Matusalem Sherry Finish
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 100-120 (October 2018)
Buying Advice: 😐 Not bad but a little too expensive for what it offers.

Colour:

Amber/Mahogany (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Sweet, Dry & a little Dusty. Not bad though. Again, I pick up some Sulphur. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. Be sure to give this Dalmore enough time in the glass. The Sherry Cask influence is certainly noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Dark Berries, Sultanas, Raisins, Dates and Plums, Mixed Nuts, Orange, Lemon, Milk Chocolate,  Marzipan, Ripe Banana, Pineapple and Ginger.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Farm Yard, Dusty Track, Dried Herbs, Honey, Tea, Oak, Tinned Peach or Nectarine, Leather, Menthol and Cloves.


Palate:

Bitter-Sweet and slightly on the Thin side. An ABV of 46% would have helped in this case. The Sulphur is still noticeable. The Palate basically follows the Nose.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Dark Berries, Raisins, Plums and Figs, Mixed Nuts, Orange, Lemon, Pineapple, Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Tobacco.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Dusty Old Shelves, Dusty Track, Herbal Tea, Ripe Bananas and Nutmeg.

Finish:

Short to Medium-Long. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitterness towards the Dry end. I find Toasted Barley, Dried Fruit like Dark Berries, Raisins and Plums, Mixed Nuts, Brown Sugar, Honey, Dusty Old Shelves, Bitter Chocolate, Espresso, Orange, Toffee, Caramel, Honey, Straw, Pineapple, Tobacco, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Cloves.



Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose some Floral and Perfume notes appear. The Orange becomes even more clear. Palate and Finish remain more or less the same but you almost forget you're drinking Whisky this way. A little bit dangerous!

Rating: 84.5

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience:

Good

Conclusion:

In 1263, King Alexander III was almost gored by a mighty Stag. One of the ancestors of the Mackenzie Clan saved him with a single arrow shot. As a reward the Clan won the right to bear a Stag's Head with twelve (Royal) points to its antlers in their Coat of Arms. The ownership is also called Dominium. The Mackenzie Family later became the owners of The Dalmore Distillery and added the Stag emblem to their bottles.

The Dalmore Dominium is one of four NAS Dalmore expressions created by Richard Paterson and called The Fortune Merita (Fortune Favours the Brave) Collection. Initially they could only be acquired in Travel Retail shops but now they are widely available. All four have matured in Ex-Bourbon casks made of American White Oak. The difference lies in the finish. All four are finished in different Ex-Sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass, a long term partner of Dalmore. The Regalis is finished in Amoroso, the Dominium in Matusalem, the Valour in a mix of both Matusalem - and Port Wine and the Luceo in First-Fill Apostoles. The latter is in fact a 30 Year old Palo Cortado, sweetened with PX. The Collection was launched in 2016.

Dalmore Single Malts almost never surprise. You will always get lots of Caramel, Dried Fruits, Nuts, Spices, Bitter Chocolate and Oranges. Depending on the cask or casks used for Finishing some extra Flavours/Aromas are added. The main differences between Dalmore Malts are usually caused by Age and Cask quality. The combination of mature Dalmore and good casks produces a good Single Malt, especially if you like the basic X-Mas-like Aroma/Flavour profile. Young Dalmore Spirit enhanced by exotic casks and provided with fancy names and stories should be left undisturbed. You're usually safe with the core range that also provides the best Price/Quality ratio.

Jan van den Ende                                                                 October 18, 2018

The Pictures were taken during our visit to Dalmore in May 2017

Glenfarclas 40 Years Review


“Wooden Heart” 

Whisky Review # 766

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Glenfarclas
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 40 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: A mix of First-Fill and Refill Ex-Sherry Casks - Bottled: July 2011
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 900-1100 (August 2018) - Limited Edition
Buying Advice: 😋 Woody and Tannic but really Delicious!

Colour:

Dark Amber 

Nose:

Deep and Complex. Amazingly Fresh for a 40 Years Old. Good Mix of First-Fill & Refill Sherry casks. Sweet with lots of Oak, Dried Fruits and Nuts. A few Sour notes for balance. I don't find any relevant Sulphur. The Alcohol is perfectly integrated. Very nice nose! Be sure to give it enough time in the glass before Nosing.

Main Aromas:

Buttered Toast, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Vanilla, Caramel, English Marmalade, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums and Apricot, Cassis Liqueur, Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder, Quality Oak, Almonds, Apple, Cigar Box, Polished Leather Upholstery, Cinnamon and Pepper.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Sweet Barley, Butterscotch, Dusty Track, Pine Resin, Nectarine, Fresh and Dried Herbs, Roasted Coffee Beans, Marzipan, Pipe Tobacco, Ginger, Cloves and Mint.


Palate:

Wood and Wood Spices are quite strong but thanks to the quality of the casks I don't mind it this time. On the Palate the Glenfarclas presents a mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour, Spicy, Bourbon and Tannic notes. Quite Dry. Good stuff!

Main Flavours:

Vanilla, Rich Toffee, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Apricots and Plums, Walnuts, Apple, Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder, Fresh Polished Leather Upholstery, Orange Marmalade, Strong Espresso, Cigar Box, Cinnamon, Pepper and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Dusty Track, Mint, Walnuts, Dark Berries, Pipe Tobacco, Cloves and Nutmeg.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Dry and Tannic. Lots of Wood but it's not really over the top. There is enough Fruity Sweetness to counterbalance the Wood and Spices. I find Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Rich Toffee, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums and Apples, Dark Chocolate and Cocoa Powder, Strong Espresso, Fresh Polished Leather Upholstery, Orange Marmalade, Cigar Box, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Menthol, light Licorice, Walnuts, Pine Resin and Marzipan. The Finish invites you to have another sip at once!



Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and the Malt relaxes. Wood and Wood Spices are less aggressive this way. The general Aroma/Flavour profile does not change a whole lot. This is really a matter of personal preference. I prefer it neat to get the full intensity of this Glenfarclas.

Rating: 89

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 22 - Overall: 22.5 

Drinking Experience:

Very good.

Conclusion:

The distillery was founded in 1836 by Robert Hay in Ballindalloch (Banffshire). It was bought by the Grant family in 1865 and it remains in their possession until today. The core range consists of the 8, 10, 12 , 15, 21 and 25 years, the 105 CS and the NAS Heritage. The Glenfarclas Malt is also used in Blends like the Isle of Skye. Glenfarclas produces around 2 million liters per year. The distillery only uses Ex-Sherry casks to mature the Spirit.

Glenfarclas operates 3 pair of directly fired stills. They are the largest stills on Speyside. The Lyne arms mostly point downwards. The stills produce a full, nutty, lightly peated and sherried Spirit. The water is drawn from the Green Burns.

The 40 Years was launched during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival in 2010. The miniature I'm using today was bottled on July 7, 2011. Despite the steep price increase in the last years, the Glenfarclas 40 Years is still relatively inexpensive when compared to other Single Malts of this age.

I'm usually not a big fan of Single Malts with a very strong Wood Flavour. The cask should always serve the Spirit and not the other way around. But I would like to make an exception for this batch of the Glenfarclas 40 years bottled in 2011. The quality of the Wood is such that I really enjoyed the experience. Very consistent from Nose to Finish. What a pity I only had a miniature bottle! I just wanted to keep on sipping!

Jan van den Ende                                                                  August 24, 2018