Glenfarclas 10 Year

88.5

This 10 year old Speyside single malt comes in at the minimum 40% ABV. I believe it is non chill filtered. I know that it is natural color, which is amber gold. I spent the last two nights pondering over a 5oz sample sent to me by Lee G. Here is what I found. On the initial pour and only a couple minute wait I was slapped in the face by a big oak 4x4 and not really in a good way. It was definitely harsh, so I decided to let it sit for another 10 minutes. So glad I did. Fresh cut damp wood, sherried oak and sherried fruits, but not very sweet fruits. A brief hit of rubber tires (not unpleasant) that faded fast. Summertime grasses, light lemongrass. A light nuttiness and some malty notes. Dried apricots or nectarines. As the level in the glass goes down a syrupy sweetness starts to develop. It ends with more wet wood and sherried fruits. The palate has a much spicier arrival than I expected, but nothing compared to a Talisker 10 for example. Heavy oak and oak spices. Sherried oak. There is a hint of cayenne pepper (flavor more than heat) that is brief and fleeting. Sherried dried fruits round it out. The mouthfeel is fairly dense and a bit oily. The finish is medium short, dry with a bit of sherry sweetness. Time and patience is needed with this single malt more than most. It really demands your focus to pick out everything. If you can get past the initial blast of oak there are lots of subtle flavors to be discovered. This 10 year old shows both it's youth and a complexity beyond its age. The nose shows more like a 12 or 15 year old (closer to 12 though). The difference between the 10 and the 25 year old is huge, but I am not disappointed with the 10. I am really getting on board the Glenfarclas train and I plan to get the 12, 17, and 21 year old expressions in the future. Maybe some day I will spring for the 30. Thanks again to Lee for the generous sample. Solid 3.5. Cheers

Good one!