Glenfarclas 1995 Oloroso Sherry Casks (Bottled 2018)

Very tasty, oily and smooth whiskey

Rating: 20/23 Wooo! Entry number 2300 on my spreadsheet! For this, I decided to open a 23 year old dram. It turned out that this was the only 23 year old dram I have that wasn't ear-marked for some other purpose. I'd also been wanting to open this one for a while, so this works out really well. N: Fruity, oily, rich, creamy, nutty, malty. This has great oloroso character going on. Definite citrus. Little bits of grain. Really approachable, but also decadent and not lacking in character. It smells younger than 23 years, but quite nice. P: Sweet with a surprising amount of spicy burn up front. Nectar sweetness mixes a light malt with tangerine, apricot, lemon, mild nuttiness, elegant oak, a hint of creaminess, and touches of other grain. There's a little bit of waxiness in here too. F: That nectar sweetness lingers with light grain. - Conclusion - This is very nicely crafted whisky. It really impresses me how it makes terrific use of its casks. The oloroso shines through in a way that highlights its character yet supplements the Glenfarclas malt, which has been significantly mellowed by age. A fine offering, to be sure. I'm not disappointed by my choice of this for this milestone. Gordon & MacPhail's Longmorn 13 (2005) (17/23) has a sweeter richness, though not more fullness. I thought that it would be creamier, but it isn't really. It has more buckwheat maltiness for sure, but it lacks the balance and finesse that this has. Each has heat in their own way, but the heat that this has strikes me more of genuine spices and some real complexity comes out of it. This is clearly better than the Longmorn. I could be convinced of an 18 for this, but I think it's at least a 19. It's certainly not a 22 though and a 21 seems unlikely. Lismore 21 (19/23) is mellower with more woody earth. What strikes me the most here is that the Lismore is not a whole lot more complex than this is, but it has that hint of sulphur that puts me off, whereas this doesn't. This seems like the clear winner. I'm leaning toward a 20 now. Glenfarlas 1990 (28 years) Sherry Hogsheads Cask Strength (16/23 (Really? That seems low)) has more of an alcohol bite than this does, but it has less rich sweetness. It's higher proof, so the alcohol bite is unsurprising and totally acceptable. I do taste plenty of wood from it, but less fruit and other interesting flavors. I think that it was aged in barrels that had seen more usage than the ones that aged this. I like the delicate nuance that those give the 1990 Farclas, but I prefer the decadent and complex flavors that this has as the funky malt intertwines with the oloroso. OK, so it's time to compare this with the behemoth that is Glenfarclas 25 (23/23). Glenfarclas 25 is richer and fuller with decadent baking spices, dried fruits, and some juicy ripe fruits, as well as nutty flavors, and hints of wood. It's also more mellow. This just isn't on that level. This feels the inspirations of the 25, but it just isn't on that level. As much as I'm enjoying this, I just don't think that it's as close to Glenfarclas 25 in quality as it is to Lismore 21, so I think that I need to land on a 20. Which is a great rating! This is a great dram, but it's not the same profile as Glenfarclas 25 and it isn't on that level either.