Glenfarclas 12 Year

Good but undeveloped...older def better

Pours the color of a glowing ember. The nose is tantalizingly sweet—tiramisu, heather, ripe wine grapes just before the frost, and hints of tropical fruit. The nose would betray an overly sweet malt, but actually (and thankfully) the palate is nutty and spiceful; candied walnuts, salted cashews, heather honey, and spiced fruit play well with a rich malt base. Towards the back of the palate the tannins and wood flavors dominate, again balancing out a sweetness that would otherwise be overwhelming. The finish is pleasant, musty, prickly, and spicy, while the aftertaste is reminiscent of grape must, sweet nuttiness, and chocolate cherries. Overall, a truly captivating whisky. As far as sherried malts go, it's a step above Aberlour and would compete with The Glenrothes 1998. I'd prefer the '98 to this one for its luxurious tropical fruit notes and creaminess, but the Glenfarclas 12 is truly a fine dram. Like others have noted, the 12 gets one excited to try older Glenfarclas expressions.

There's a heavy nose with strawberry, dark red fruits, cherry fruit chews, and amaretto syrup. Light palate, watery mouthfeel, vanilla ice cream, more amaretto; the integrity of the sherry influence follows throughout. A light tobacco like finish with cherry and vanilla. The finish is what bumps the score up for me. 3.75