Glenfarclas 40yo: I Want One!
Oh my god! Even a week after finishing this sample, I still can’t get it out of my head. What an exceptional whisky! The cool thing is that I also tasted this whisky about six months ago. But this time I tasted it blind, and was as blown away by it as I was the first time. That is a true testament to the quality of this whisky. What exactly am I talking about? The official bottling of Glenfarclas 40 years old.
I’m afraid they won’t do the whisky justice, but here are my tasting notes anyway.
Glenfarclas 40yo (OB, 46%, +/- 2012)
Nose: Super glue, mandarine, sultanas, raisins, caramel and barley. It just goes on foreve!. I think I nosed it for about an hour before I finally dared to sip.
Taste: A bit dry and woody, but exactly at the right level. It is spicy and fruity at the same time, with a pleasant bitterness and some pineapple.
Finish: Coffee, pure chocolate and lighter aromas such as apple and ripe banana. It ends with a surprising cigar tobacco flavour.
Rating: 93
The Glenfarclas 40yo is phenomenal. And great value for money as well. It can be bought 250/300 euros. Yes, that’s a lot of money, but relatively cheap for a 40yo OB. I think I might just have to get a bottle myself.
Thanks to Yapi for the sample.
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.
Very good review and notes. I agree with your assessment, but I have to say that when I first opened the bottle I was very skeptical. More than any other whisky I have ever purchased, the Glenfarclas 40 needs lots of time and air to reach its potential. The first couple of pours from this bottle were VERY woody, dying, astringent and bitter. It was only after the bottle was open for about a week that it regained its balance with the fruit coming to the fore, and the wood taking on a supporting role. A great whisky, and excellent value, but it can’t be rushed.