Glenfarclas tasting night at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 4 July 2019. Whisky #1 Nose: Sherry, malt, soft fruit and a fragrant, honeyed musk note. There's the alluring aroma of a good oak cask in the background and an ultra-light smoky note but it's not peat smoke. Water brings out a little caramel on the nose. Palate: Sweetly spicy and expansive on the arrival with dark fruit cake and walnut bread flavours, it develops more dry spices and very soft tannins as it develops. The texture is firm and confident with a slight creaminess. With water some light maple syrup notes emerge. Finish: Medium. Spicy dark fruits and a medium-dry sherry aftertaste. A very friendly 12 year old single malt that offers good value. It's broad, rich and full and has great balance but like all Glenfarclas this whisky needs more time to rest in the glass than you might think. Don't rush it. It's only when you taste this malt in direct A-B comparison with older Glenfarclas expressions that it seems at all wanting, and then it's not because of any fault with the 12, but simply that the older whiskies are even better. It's one of my all-time favourites and a standby. Also, Glenfarclas is a distillery that positively embraces and celebrates batch variation, but this is probably their most consistent whisky. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars) ------------------------------------------------------ [Review from July 25, 2017] Nose: Elegance personified. Initially it may seem simple and somewhat ordinary but there is depth to be explored. Allowing time for development in the glass is repaid with the revelation of gentle oak, sherry (lots of sherry) and malt, all packaged as a seamless whole. There are also some hints of fresh-cut mint, dry spices and citrus (notably orange) zest, and a lightly musky floral tone. Palate: Malty and sherry-rich arrival with a solid texture. Turning slightly resinous and dry as it develops but with sherry overtones and warm spicy notes (ginger) weaving throughout against a subtle dark orange background. The more you taste it, the more becomes apparent. Finish: Medium/long, grapey, oaky and a little oily. Somewhat spicy, a touch hot and with an interesting tannic overtone. This current batch of the 12 year old is possibly the best I've tasted. It's in really top form. Glenfarclas 12 is sometimes considered a young or introductory malt while some other whiskies are thought to be well matured at that age. I guess it’s because there are so many much older age statement whiskies in the Glenfarclas stable that in comparison this seems like one of the “youngsters”. There's also the fact that Glenfarclas is a very big distillate that can take long maturation in its stride, and yes it does benefit from this. However for me 10-15 years is the point where Glenfarclas first becomes really interesting. The 10 year old is fruity and cereal in nature with floral notes from the new-make still prominent. The 15 is much more dark fruit cake and the wood influence is on the ascendent. This 12 is right in the middle, shows some of both these character profiles and has great balance. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars) [AUD$120.0 per Bottle in 2017] ------------------------------------------------------