pkingmartin
Glenfarclas 40 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
December 27, 2023 (edited August 22, 2024)
The nose is soft, subtle yet mildly rich with creamy orchard fruits leading that are underscored by tangy red fruits and surprisingly soft oak for the 40 years in a cask with an ever so slight pipe tobacco smoke emerging over time that all works effortlessly together with low ethanol.
The palate is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits before a mild peppery spice that slowly fades to espresso and dark chocolate covered figs before mildly sour yet sweet fruits of lychee, balsamic strawberries and pears that transitions to light pipe tobacco smoke and dusty leather bound books with low ethanol burn.
The finish is medium length starting with a mix of creamy tropical fruits and mildly sour red berries before mild baking spices, sweet pipe tobacco and polished antique furniture.
Glenfarclas 40 year is a beautifully composed old single malt that has aged gracefully over the years polishing the flavors into a symphony of creamy citrus, light chocolate, red berries, mild spices and old oak that was incredibly well managed as those casks could have easily overpowered the other flavors like an over steeped black tea.
Side by side with the Glenfarclas 25 year, the 40 year has more finesse and grace whereas the 25 has a slightly higher astringency but they aren’t all that far away from each other.
At an asking price of over $1k, it’s an expensive bottle likely meant for celebrating the 40 year age milestone or to experience a 40 year old single malt. Thankfully @ShatteredArm was extremely generous to share a sample for me to explore and highly enjoy.
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@ShatteredArm Thanks. Yikes, I’m fine with others enjoying whiskey any way they want but adding ice to a high aged and already low ABV single malt seems nearly tragic.
Good assessment, and glad to share with someone who can appreciate it. Brought it to a party hosted by a friend who also turned 40 this year, and a couple friends had theirs on rocks...
@pkingmartin what a nice, rare treat. I have the 25 and it is quite the pour and extremely reasonably priced. Interesting comparison to the 25 and that another 15 years doesn’t vary all that much. Just more refined.
@cascode Thanks and what’s interesting is that my wife joined me in the side by side and ended up preferring the 25 over the 40 year due to it having less oak spice allowing the fruits to come through slightly more. So I guess it would depend on the preference of the taster in which would turn out to be the victor in the side by side.
@pkingmartin Great tasting notes, spot on, and I agree it's not that far removed from the 25 year old. In fact, the last time I tasted this a couple of years back with some friends we all felt the 25 was superior, but given the batch variation inherent with Glenfarclas that view could well be the opposite if I tasted it today. Great dram to see out the year.
@soonershrink 😂 That’d be an expensive mixed drink but likely very delicious. @dhsilv2 Thanks, that sounds amazing and I’ll have to keep an eye out to try it sometime. @DrRHCMadden Ha, I always find it fun to explore a drink that is older than me and look forward to hearing your thoughts when you feel comfortable enough to explore one of those older malts. @PBMichiganWolverine certainly is and who needs fireworks when you can celebrate with a dram like this.
Nice way to end the year!
I always get slightly uncomfortable reading about whisky that’s youngest component is older than I am. Another couple of years and I’ll consider drinking something like this! Stoked for you that you got to drink such a sauce.
nice review, I got to try one of the older 46% bottlings. Just outstanding sherry casks.
But how is it with Coke? Seriously though, awesome to be able to try that one.