Glenfarclas 7 Year (SWMS 1.241 "Marvellous Marmalade")

 

There are very few distilleries I respect as much as Grant-family-owned Glenfarclas. I love their 12 year, 17 year, and 21 year expressions so much - very very good memories of draining those bottles. This is my first independent expression of their distillery! From the Scotch Malt Whisky Society ("SMWS"), this 7 year bottling was aged 5 years in bourbon barrels was finished for another additional 2 years in a first-fill PX hogshead. Nicknamed "Marvellous Marmalade."

Part of the SMWS's "Deep, Rich, and Dried Fruits," profile, this is bottled at a robust 61.2% (!). The official notes are as follows:

Aromas hit the nose faster than the senses could comprehend, as rich fruits merged with sweet fragrance. Tangerine, marmalade and apple crumble with custard danced alongside liquorice, creme brûlée and prunes soaked in armagnac before cinnamon and tobacco finally joined poached apricots. A big, chewy and rich palate embodied cloves, ginger and flambeed banana with molasses and hints of menthol. With water came an explosion of red cherries, wild strawberries and juniper berries wrapped in oils and waxes. Geraniums and tinned fruit salad morphed into pineapple and lemongrass on the palate with a fresh streak of wintergreen, cloves and menthol while brandy notes returned with coconut and heather honey on the finish. After spending five years in an ex-bourbon hogshead this was transferred to a first fill Spanish oak PX hogshead for the remainder of its maturation.

Yes, please. Fruit? Custard?! Armagnac!!? Tobacco?? Yes, yes, yes. Bottled at a very strong 61.2% ABV. Let's see how it does:

Nose: The initial hit is an avalanche of flambeed/seared banana, although it evaporates fairly quickly. Bananas and brown sugar. The banana sweetness occasionally drifts sideways into vanilla custard. Cinnamon is present, too. I might get very light tobacco or it might be the power of suggestion; I don't get the apple crumble, but the marmalade is present as well. Nice, rich, unexpected nose - never scented a Glenfarclas like this, that's for sure. Must be the youth?

With water: Deep red fruit appears - specifically strawberry and cherry. 

Mouthfeel: Oily, medium.

Palate: Wow, rich development. Strawberries, macerated blueberries, ginger, nutmeg, cloves. Cherry. Flower pollen. Some tropical influence (more banana!). The official notes are pretty accurate: lemongrass does come through. Surprisingly spicy. There is a certain cooling effect at the end of the development, which I suppose could be a menthol-like thing. What's most interesting is how easy a sipper it is even at 61.2%. Very little alcohol attack. 

With water: The menthol comes forward in a hurry when water is added - it's very interesting to taste such a rich mixture of banana sweetness and menthol cool. Honey, too. I think I prefer it neat. 

Finish: Pretty decent - medium length. Banana, spices, short length. Acceptable.

Verdict: Interesting take on Glenfarclas. This doesn't have very much of an overlap with the official distillery-issued sherry-matured stuff. But it's quite tasty on its own terms. Worth exploring! For the adventurous, definitely. A good summer dram.