Glenfarclas 2004 Cask Strength Premium Edition

PREFACE: Just ease back into, they said. The world needs your input on whisky, they said. You are the single, greatest whisky reviewer this site has ever seen, they...well, nobody said. It’s a whole, new decade so I might as well drink my way into it. I’m. Back. Bitches. Well, for those of you that have been counting the days- all 5 of you...ifs been the better part of four months since I’ve reviewed a whisky. So, let’s see if I remember how: Glenfarclas 2004 Premium Cask Strength. It was a special, German release that I found on a website in The Netherlands. Europe, you sneaky whisky bastard! How does that happen? This bottle is a robust 59.4% and cost me a respectable $55 before shipping (and Trump’s pesky tariffs). It’s a rich, yellow gold in the tasting glass, although it is significantly lighter than the standard 105 CS bottle that’s readily available worldwide. It’s oily and viscous with very tiny droplets and no legs- just like most cask strength bottles should be. The nose is buttery sherry and over-ripened raisins, light black pepper and sharp oak. If you give it time it’s easy to discern some apple peel, hearty butterscotch and hints of sugary, cherry limeade. Dashes of water only unleash malt and soggy wood, while easing the light wisps of astringent alcohol. The palate is typical Glenfarclas goodness: sherry, raisins, dry breakfast cereal and peppered oak. This stuff is basically 13yo malt and it probably spent all of its time in second or third-fill sherry casks. Those notes aren’t very complex, but they do lead the charge and deliver exactly what you expect from this distillery. Solid sherry that’s relatively smooth, even at cask strength. The finish is long and constantly warming with some lingering citrus and sherry. The wood notes aren’t as present as I expected, but in this case it releases the whisky from being a drier experience. Overall, it’s definitely not a premium release- even though the bottle implies it. It’s on par with the 105, and if I’m being honest, it isn’t as good of a deal for those of you that are always hunting for the best bang for your buck. I was able to score a 1L bottle of the 105 for under $40 awhile back and even though I don’t think I could find that again, it still kills this release on value for money. I’d still give this a solid 4 stars and I’m glad I have another bottle stored away for the day I decide to compare this one directly with the 105 or another CS bottle I may get my hands on in the future. Cheers, my friends. It’s good to be sippin’ again.

Story time. I’ve been hunting with my in laws every year since 2014. Because of the area of the state in which we hunt we were relegated to shotguns only, no rifles (the law has changed recently but that’s beside the point). I’m not a very good shot with a shotgun and have missed every shot I’ve ever taken. Some by a little, some by a lot, and so I’ve never bagged a deer. This year I decided to take a bottle with me to share and enjoy while we sat in the cabin the night before opening day. I grabbed this bottle of Glenfarclas that was given to me by @LeeEvolved a month prior for my birthday. I popped it and shared it (in complete moderation as it wouldn’t do well to hunt while hungover). The next morning while walking out to my blind I small doe stood up in my path and I took the first successful shot of my life. That night I shared a celebratory dram from the same bottle. The next morning, about 2 hours in I got my second deer. Magic whisky I tells ya! Once we got home I shared the whisky some more, and by the time it was all over the bottle was nearly gone. I poured a sample to keep for later and had just enough left for a review. This is that review lol. This is the Cask Strength Premium Edition Glenfarclas that was released to the German market (where Lee found it I haven’t a clue). It was distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2017. Bottled at 59.4% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of honey gold. It is one of 6000 bottles. The nose starts with sweet, but tamed sherry with a nip of alcohol that is nowhere near as strong as the ABV would suggest. Plums, raisins, dried cherries, blueberries, blackberries and barley sugar. Lots of honey, vanilla and some light oaky notes. Apricots, nectarines and peaches. Nutty, pecans and walnuts with nutmeg and clove. More oak with sawdust and powdered ginger. A slight leathery note with just a hint of dark chocolate and barrel char. Water didn’t add much but brought the honey and malt more into focus. Intense heat on the arrival on the palate with an underlying sweetness to help ease the pain. Sherry, but on the lighter side especially for cask strength. Honey, oak, cereal malt, vanilla and a bit of grain alcohol sharpness at times. Mixed berries, mostly blackberries. A touch nutty with almonds and walnuts, nutmeg and ginger with a trace of anise. Spicy throughout. Water brings the heat down but keeps most of the spice and honey. A medium to full bodied mouthfeel that is prickly, creamy and mouthwatering. The finish is long with light sherry, berry fruitiness, sugary with some wood spice and black tea. For a “premium edition” whisky, this didn’t come across as “premium”. Based on the color and flavor profile I would say that this is mostly or all refill casks, not very premium of them. It was hard to really enjoy neat, but it performed well over ice or with water. Tonight was a bit poetic. This was the bottle I drank before I killed my first deer, and tonight I enjoyed some venison tacos before killing this bottle. Sorry to anyone out there that is against hunting, but it was a big moment in my life and I felt like sharing. I’m also sorry to everyone for such a long review. 5 stars for the memories the bottle was a part of, and 3.75 for the whisky within the bottle. Thanks again Lee, it was a great birthday gift. Cheers