Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength

Blind Tasting. Light golden, multiplicity of thin legs and very slow drops. Nose: Wet wood, caramel malt, butterscotch funk, blue agave earthiness, boosey bread pudding Palate: Hits hot and fast - there is a prickling, almost burning heat. The flavors are all turned up to 10 or 11 with butterscotch, hey and clover honey, oak and cardamon, white pepper, maybe even cayenne. There is a bit of astringent varnish, possibly some sauternes as well. Water: No real change to the palate with a drop added. More of the malt and spice come through than ever and the harsh edges soften but no revelations here. My guess would be Speyside or Highland, bourbon cask and/or French oak limousine. Age >18 years and 55-60% ABV. I could be completely wrong and this is 6-12 years and just NCF and barrel proof but suspect relatively unused wood casks. Glenfiddich on steroids? Not really sure what this is. So much wood spice and yet so much malt sweetness, but funky. Reveal - Glenfarclas 105 Well, that’s not what I expected. The butterscotch is somewhat extreme in this expression and the raisin and earthy notes of the 25 largely absent in comparison. It’s like looking at my high school self and comparing him to my current self and having no idea how the two could be related. As much as I love the 25 I think this is one I would likely pass on. This one certainly delivers on the proof (which I learned is actually closer to 120 American proof, makes sense now). The burn punishes above a 120 proof Knob Creek but below a Bookers or Makers CS. Just more flavorful options out there with less heat, especially in the scotch world. Definitely and interesting try thanks to @Contemplativefox and would recommend that everyone try at least once but don’t be mistaken - this is not an amped up, older Glenfarclas expression but a different beast entirely.

This is my favorite Glenfarclas so far. I’ve only had the 12 and 21 excluding this one, but the 12 was to malt heavy for my taste, and the 21 felt little thin and empty for its age. But this one has character. On the nose the first thing you get ir a fresh honey covered raspberry sweetnes, which is quickly followed by Glenfarclas’s signature toasted malt character, which comes from the direct dire stills. If you have started to wonder what flavors come from the spirit and what from the casks, this is a good bottle to start understanding it, because this toasted caramelized malt character is pretty prominent, distinct and fairly easy to pick out, and now you it comes from the spirit, not the casks. Soon after this i discovered a very heavy perfume note, almost like lighty-sweet rose. The palate is is mostly the translation of the nose, with dark honey and raspberries, little bit of sultana (if you dont know what is it, buy some dried sultana snacks, because this flavor shows up in lots of malts) including some charred vanilla. The toasted flavors come very alive in the finish with mild bitter oak tannins and red fruit skins. The reason they say Glenfarclas accomodates sherry cask maturation is i think because of these toasted-caramelized-roasted malt flavors which give a very nice depth to the sherry influence so it is not just another run of the mill sherried whisky. Definetly worth a second and third try too. For its price i’d say this is a good bottle, but if you are willing to spend a little a more money, i’d suggest the Aberlour A’bunadh. But dont take my word for it. Try em both!

Open 2.5 months Nose - Sickly sweet dark honey, tannic and dry red wine, figs, raisins, stewed dark fruits, scented candles, pine resin, shiny esters, and medium-strong ethanol. Palate - Rich sherry bomb, honey, molasses, cereal malt, raisins, figs, stewed dark fruits, more dry than sweet and syrupy, chalk and mineral water, and dry ethanol bite and sherry on the mid palate. Finish is long with the drier sherry and oak tannin notes taking over, waxy, raisins, light cocoa, baking spices, sharp grain and malt, and spicy ethanol on the back end. The dryness, chalky wax, and sharp notes are why I ding it slightly. I bought this for my brother's Christmas gift, but siphoned off a 4 oz sample to enjoy later. It's hard to find a plethora of cask strength Scotch, particularly the unpeated variety, in NC. I went to a hole-in-the-wall ABC store in the mountains that I know has an eclectic selection, and picked this. It was all by itself, covered in dust, and likely one of the last Glenfarclas 105 in NC since Glenfarclas products haven't been listed on the ABC website in a while. It met all expectations, and is a fantastic substitute for Aberlour A'bunadh which I already had on hand. I do not think it is as well-rounded as the Aberlour. There is slightly more ethanol bite and sharp shiny edges in the Glenfarclas. But it is also $20 cheaper, can't complain about that. I don't get the average reviews on this either. My guess is a lot of those come from Scotch-first drinkers who think the proof is overwhelming. As a bourbon and rye cask strength enthusiast, this hits the sweet spot.

Glenfarclas 105, 60%, NAS   This is a cask strength Glenfarclas that will definitely kick you in the ass.  It is basically the cask strength sherry bomb that isn’t Aberlour. After giving it some time it’s surprisingly drinkable at cask strength but early on you definitely get hit with all the alcohol.  This one needs time and water but it’s worth the effort. Smelling this after some time the Alcohol burn goes away and you get some of the normal sherry bomb smells. Dried Red Fruits, cranberry, orchard fruits, apple, pear, sweet cherries. The taste (neat) is Bitter red fruits, cranberry and vanilla.  With Water – more of the darker/drier red fruits come out. Figs, dates, raisins as well as apple, pear and bitter orange peel. The finish is Long, sweet, vanilla, baked apple, spice, burnt sugar turning bitter. Smelling and tasting neat starts slow but adding water gets you past the alcohol and really brings out the expected smells of a sherry bomb.  I love the transition this whisky takes over time.  These bottles aren’t cheap but I have been lucky to score a few off auction sites for about $70 all in. I haven’t seen them on the shelves near me for less than $80, usually it’s around $100.  Even at $100 it’s probably worth the effort with the crazy whisky prices of today.    Overall Grade: A 

On the nose, sour apple, apple cider vinegar, raisin, sulfur, ethanol, and a little funky in an intriguing way. The palate hits with somewhat similar slightly discordant notes. There's the apple and ethanol, then some rich malty and sherry notes in the middle, then transitions to a somewhat harsh finish. I think this is likely to be friendly with a little water, but it may take some experimentation to dial in the right amount. I added a little to see. The nose stayed interesting, and the palate certainly improved with less harshness and more of the sherry richness showing. Comes across now somewhat more like a prototypical sherry bomb. This is an interesting dram, and one I'm a little on the fence about. It's interesting and has some really nice flavors, mixed in with a little bit of harshness and funk. Overall, it's one I wouldn't be opposed to picking up a bottle to explore more, particularly at the right price. Thanks go out to @ContemplativeFox for the sample!

I’m definitely picking up on the popcorn… it’s almost medicinal on the nose. The palate is an intense Christmas cake that dissolves into a peach yogurt. The finish is creamy popcorn flan 🍮 There’s so much here. I’m not going to be able to explore it all with 3cl. Adding far too much water… The nose becomes more medicinal and floral. The palate is sweet apple and pear pudding with a flaky biscuit crust. The finish is smoother and vanilla comes out to play in the grass and flowers. I love the Glenfarclas 15, but this is a different thing entirely. It reminds me of a “Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair”. I transferred some full strength whiskey to a tumbler glass instead of the Glencairn. Roasted nuts on the nose. The palate remains warmed fruits, cream. The finish is intense and long, lingering pepper, fruit, and milk chocolate. This is a big whiskey, one which is difficult to taste around. But its depth allows a lot of space to play.