🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

A fine Glenfarclas, reminiscent of the 15, a little more impetuous, but almost tastier. A positive surprise, although I liked the mouth and finish better than the nose. Edit: Blind tasting 11/2024 confirms the impressions.

Sherry is more intense, darker, deeper, fruit cake, pudding, macerated grapes, marzipan, panettone, coffee, dark chocolate chips. Fruit, but not too juicy, plums, blackberries, blackcurrants. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few casks of wine in there. It is charcoal, earthy, humus, damp undergrowth, clearing in the forest. Mushrooms. Palate unfortunately a little light, but greedy, candied fruits, wild strawberries, bay leaves, controlled spices, nutmeg, cloves, cumin. Beautiful woodiness, varnished cherry. Fairly long finish, on caramel and sponge cake, pastry cream, thyme, rosemary, morello cherries, heather. Very interesting this edition, it even seemed to me better than last year's. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2022/12/glenfarclas-private-reserve-2022-46th.html

Really nice young Glenfarclas. For the purchase price, I would rather go for the 15-year-old, which costs a similar amount, but if you are a fan of the 15-year-old and are still looking for a nice and comparable change, you could definitely get it here.

Update: After the open bottle was able to breathe a bit, the whisky unfortunately degraded a bit and now looks a bit younger and simpler. I downgrade from 88 to 87 points. (Caution sulfur! On the sulfur Scoville scale, this one is only 1 to 2 out of 10 Scoville points. So even for people who don't like sulphur, this will still be so well integrated that it only complements the whisky. To be honest, I didn't discover the slight sulfur note in the nose until the third evening I tasted the whisky.) The Private Reserve 2021 (WB188906) didn't quite take me with 86 points and only took me a bit because it had a slight oyster note that reminded me of a Clynelish. This Private Reserve bottling has 46 percent alcohol strength (the 2021 only 45 percent and still seems a bit sharper) and a completely different, much softer and at the same time more intense barrel influence. Clearly some nice sherry casks have been added here and this whisky offers everything I could wish for in a €55 Glenfarclas. The color supposedly only comes from the barrels, because coloring was probably not used. A beautiful, simple and uncomplicated sherry whisky that has been made using good oak casks and to which two, maybe even three casks of older distillates (10-15 years old) have been added. Between 87 and 88 points. 15 years of bottle maturation and then a few more weeks of air in the open bottle and you have an 89 point whisky. fair deal.

Brief impressions from a blind tasting. Quite pleasant whisky, but also without anything special.

A very well done Glenfarclas. For me stronger than the 15-year-old, because he comes around the corner with more variety and depth. Very enjoyable and a buy recommendation.

On the nose, this presents with praline, hazelnut, caramel and crème brûlée, followed by dried fruits and cherries. The palate brings a rich malty character with layers of toffee, caramel, toasted nuts and fruitcake, supported by warming spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. The texture is medium-bodied and creamy, with a finish of medium length carrying baking spices, lingering honey and dried fruit notes. A classic Glenfarclas style with a gentle sherry influence, but without becoming a heavy sherry bomb. The sweeter sherried notes never fully emerge, with spices, oak tannins and a warming character taking the lead. A well-balanced and enjoyable dram with a pleasant creamy texture, though it lacks some of the freshness and vibrancy that would have pushed it into a higher tier.

Nose: Sweet, grain, cherry, slightly sour, malt, a hint of marzipan, oak, light vanilla ••• Taste: Sweet, spicy oak, malt, spices, cherry, slightly sour, vanilla, marzipan ••• Finish: Medium-long, grain, oak and a little sweet cherry remain. ••• Conclusion: The nose is sweet. I have grain and cherry as the main notes. There is also a slight sour note. Malt and oak are more in the background. The taste has the same notes, just in a different order or intensity. Here there is spicy oak, strong malt and sweet notes in the foreground. Then there is a load of spices, cherries and maybe vanilla and marzipan. Overall there is always a slight sour note, but it is not disturbing. A good, solid whisky that has had a good sherry cask. No off notes.