Glenfarclas 17 Year

 

I'm a big fan of Glenfarclas 105, the cask strength no-age-statement version of their whisky, which is matured in oloroso sherry casks. This results in an unusually rich and quirky spirit, almost funky, and one that I took a shine to. Lately I've been diving deep in the world of independent bottles, so I thought I would take a breath of air from the world of official bottlings, and explore Glenfarclas a bit more. This is the 17 year old, also matured in oloroso sherry casks. Unsure about coloring or filtering. And, interestingly, whisky.com states that the 17 year is "selected according to the Japanese preference," for whatever reason. 

Nose: The neck pour from the bottle was very bright and fully of cherries - cherry cordial, cherry pie - along with strawberries, peaches, and plums. As I dug deeper into the bottle, the tone of the flavor darkened noticeably and got funkier - much closer to the 105 I remembered. Sulfur emerged, in a "dirty" sort of way. Red fruit, but more in a stewed kind of way. Dried fruit as well. The fruit combined with the sulfur results in a meaty/savory scent which is super interesting. 

Mouthfeel: Silky, viscous. 

Palate: Sherry fruit, with a dropping out of the meaty sulfur note, leaving a rather sweetish palate. Cherries, strawberries, plums, raisins. Cake? Some kind of baked good, anyhow. Wood influence begins to push through here, and carries into the finish.

Finish: Medium finish, stewed fruit and very very light smoke and some wood influence intermix. 

Verdict: This is distinctly difference from the 105... it's more balanced, more "elegant," perhaps in accordance with Japanese tastes (?!). The umami sulfur note on the nose and the smoke that emerges at the end were great balancing touches to the sweet red fruit and usual syrupy oloroso notes. I do wish this was 46%, but you can't have everything. Along with the bottle of Glendronach 12 I am sipping through, this really scratches the sherry itch. Curious now to try the older bottlings...