Glenfarclas 30 yo

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 43% | Colouring: No

Special Features:

This 30-year-old Glenfarclas pairs long maturation with the Red Door presentation: its red wooden box echoes the doors of the traditional warehouses. The Speyside single malt offers pronounced sherry fruitiness, nuts, marzipan and dark fruitcake, alongside a bittersweet chocolate note. Dried fruit and subtle hints of oak round out its mature character.

This bottling owes its long maturation in part to George S. Grant's foresight in building up stocks. He increased reserves for the company's own single malt bottlings while demand for whisky for blends was declining. The casks he acquired underpin this bottling. The whisky has a natural dark golden colour and is offered at 43% in 0.7-litre bottles.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is full and complex. Fruit and sherry-rich malt notes combine to create a mature overall impression.
• Palate: On the palate, sherry and fruit meet hints of Cognac and brandy. Nuts, marzipan and rich Christmas fruitcake complete the flavour profile.
• Finish: The finish is long and elegant. A distinctive roasted chocolate note emerges as it lingers.

Distillery/Bottler:

Glenfarclas Distillery lies near Ballindalloch in Speyside, at the foot of Ben Rinnes. John Grant purchased the distillery in 1865, and it remains family-owned today. J. & G. Grant is responsible for the brand and this official bottling. Water comes from the distillery's own springs on Ben Rinnes, and the distillery uses unpeated malt.

Glenfarclas operates six stills heated directly by gas burners. After trials with indirect heating, the family retained direct firing because it preserved the desired distillery character. Warehousing also remains traditional: the casks rest in low-rise dunnage warehouses adjoining the distillery. For sherry cask maturation, Glenfarclas sources Oloroso casks from Spain and uses casks with differing refill histories to develop different flavour profiles.

Facts: