The Sherry Project Part III: Glenfarclas 105
As we arrive at the Glenfarclas 105, we’re already halfway through The Sherry Project. The Glenfarclas 105 has been around for years and has often been named as an exemplary NAS-whisky. The newer bottles do have an age statement though, as it clearly says on the back label that it is 10 years old. Age or no age, the 105 is clearly a benchmark whisky. And also easily the cheapest of all the whiskies in The Sherry Project, at around 30/35 euro for one litre. Let’s see how I feel about it, and how it can hold it’s own against other cask strength, sherried whiskies.
Glenfarclas 105 (60%, OB, +/- 2013)
Nose: It is very closed off at the start. Some sulphur and a hint of nuttiness are all I can make out. Luckily the nose opens up after a couple of minutes. There’s honey, caramel, black currant drink and bread dough. Oranges appear after that, as does a minty aroma.
Taste: Not a lot of fruit here and a bit too dry for my taste. It is spicy, with prominent aniseed and wood spices. Coffee and chocolate. It has a bitterness that I quite enjoy.
Finish: Oak, berries, oranges and coffee. It develops a bit of an off-putting aftertaste, which makes the finish less enjoyable.
Rating: 84
A fine nose, but a little bit weak. The palate is the best part of the Glenfarclas 105, and the finish is decent, albeit a little disappointing. The Glenfarclas 105 approaches the quality of the Aberlour a’bunadh, but doesn’t get close to the superior Glendronach CS, which still is number one in The Sherry Project.
Standings after Part III:
1. Glendronach CS batch #2 (87 points)
2. Aberlour a’bunadh batch #46 (85 points)
3. Glenfarclas 105 (84 points)
Next up is the Glengoyne CS batch 001. Will it take the lead? Find out tomorrow!
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
Leave a Reply