Glenfarclas 12 Year

Maybe a bit rough and ready for a 12 year old whiskey, compared to Glenmorangie's Lasanta, Quinta Ruban and for instance the Redbreast 12. The taste itself is outstanding, spicy, fruity and not overly sweet, very well balanced. Definitely a big step up over the Glenmorangie 10. And more outspoken in both flavor and nose than the slightly timid Lasanta and even the Redbreast 12. But the mouthfeel is somewhat less smooth, with a little alcohol burn on the tongue and back in the throat and a tiny bit more watery than the other whiskeys I mentioned, it lacks a luxurious mouth feel. Price-quality wise however this one beats the others. 30 euro for a one liter bottle, whereas the other bottles I mentioned (excluding the Glenmorangie 10) cost more than 40 euro for a 70cl bottle! And on overal balance of flavor; sweets, spice and fruitiness (not including depth of flavor) I may prefer this Glenfarclas over every Glenmorangie offering I tried, with the Nectar d'Or as exception.

Not bad, but not my favorit. The nose is pretty good, very fruity, light and pleasant. But in the palate, things are not so good. Ok, its creamy and oily, with is good. But the flavour is too bitter. Very used casks? Problably. There are vanila, caramel and some fruitiness too. Ice makes things better. Less bitter, more fruitiness.

Glenfarclas is a good brand to sample and see what the same whisky tastes like over a span of being aged 12-25 years. Their bottles are relatively cheap and easy to find. The 12 is a solid single malt that any scotch fan will enjoy. It doesn’t have anything big that stands out but it doesn’t have anything bad either. As you try the Glenfarclas range of bottles you will find the biggest change is the wood smoke increases a little bit each time. From the 12,15,17,21 and 25 year olds. This is a great one to keep at home that won’t break the bank.

Incredibly smooth, great buttery flavor. Strong nose, crisp notes. Finish tingles the inside of the lips. Jim Murray: 94.