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.