Glenfarclas

The Grant family is the sixth generation to produce its traditionalwhisky. Glenfarclas is one of the last independent distilleries in Scotland. With Glenfarclas, you get a characterful single malt in your glass. Spanish sherry casks give the whisky strong fruity notes and cask spice. Get this honest, uncoloured whisky now - a real Oldschool Scotch! Start now with the Glenfarclas 12 year old.

About Glenfarclas

Unmistakably Glenfarclas! You will immediately recognise the powerful single malt in the tasting. Find out all the details about the house style and production below. The Glenfarclas Distillery is located between green hills and fields in the heart of Speyside in Scotland. Speyside is known for its light, floral single malts. Glenfarclas only fits into this mould to a limited extent, as the independent distillery has always gone its own way. At Glenfarclas, time seems to have stood still for a while. With some developments, this is an extremely sympathetic characteristic.

The whisky distilleries in Speyside don't always make it easy for us. This is because there are numerous distilleries in the Scottish whisky region that begin with "Glen". Glenfarclas means "valley of green grass". In addition to Glenfarclas, the Scottish word for "valley" also appears in its famous neighbour Glenfiddich. Thanks to their similar names, they are direct neighbours in almost every whisky book. In real life, too, the two distilleries in the heart of the Speyside region are just a stone's throw away from each other. Another thing they have in common is that both whisky distilleries are still family-owned. This is a real rarity in Scotland today. Glenfarclas and Glenfiddich are both owned by the Grant family. Or rather: one Grant family each. Because these two Grants are not related to each other. Not so directly, anyway. However, the similarities end with the character of the single malt whisky. Because Glenfarclas can only exist once.

3 reasons to love Glenfarclas

1) Because nothing beats family.

2) Because so much malt for the money is not a given.

3) Because time has stood still in the time-honoured "Ship's Room" at the distillery.

What does Glenfarclas whisky taste like?

Glenfarclas traditionally relies almost exclusively on maturation in Oloroso sherry casks. Remarkable, because a sherry butt costs many times more than a former bourbon cask. The basic character of Glenfarclas is heavy and powerful, with a spicy undertone. This blends perfectly with the sherry casks. Glenfarclas whiskies become very lush in body and flavour, especially with age. You can expect aromas of dark fruit, dried fruit, a variety of spices and roasted notes. There is also a hint of smoke in some bottlings. Glenfarclas is not a mainstream whisky. The strong character corners and edges do not suit every whisky connoisseur. However, those who discover the Oldschool Single Malt for themselves will remain a loyal fan.

Recommendations in the Glenfarclas range

Glenfarclas can still offer single malt whiskies with an age statement at attractive prices. This is made possible by the independent spirit of the distillery and the almost seamless production.

Our Glenfarclas recommendations with age statement

If you are looking for an entry-level Glenfarclas with an age statement, then go for the mild and fruity Glenfarclas 12 year old. The Glenfarclas 15 year old and the Glenfarclas 17 year old are also a real recommendation, two great malts with a good age and great value for money. Where most distilleries have already given up, Glenfarclas offers the deep Glenfarclas 21 year old and the Glenfarclas 25 year old as premium whiskies. The prices, on the other hand, are far below the average for this age category. Even a Glenfarclas 30 year old and Glenfarclas 40 year old have long been available as standard.

Cask Strength recommendation: Glenfarclas 105

You get unbeatable value for money at Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength, a strong cask strength without age statement. Not for the faint-hearted, but a real flavour bomb! This sherry bomb comes into your glass at a whopping 60% vol. The 105 denotes the alcohol strength in British proof. The Glenfarclas 105 is also available in a generous 1 litre version. You can't get more whisky for your money.

For collectors and connoisseurs: Glenfarclas The Family Casks

The Glenfarclas The Family Casks are highly sought-after, limited edition collector's whiskies. These single casks are bottled with vintage release. They are bottled at cask strength with precise details of the respective cask. These single cask bottlings round off the Glenfarclas range and are presented in elegant wooden boxes.

How is Glenfarclas single malt produced?

Glenfarclas is an old-school whisky in the best sense of the word. This is reflected both in the basic character of the single malt and in the management of the Speyside distillery. The labels of Glenfarclas read "Highland Single Malt Scotch" even though Glenfarclas is located in Speyside. Speyside is a sub-region of the Scottish Highlands. Each distillery can therefore decide for itself whether Speyside or Highland is labelled on the whisky. Perhaps this localisation is also a statement by the independent distillery. After all, the style of Glenfarclas is probably more suited to the rugged, untamed Scottish Highlands than the idyllic hilly landscape of Speyside.

The fresh distillate, the New Make, is fruity but heavy and resilient. This allows it to assert itself against the European oak of the Spanish sherry casks in which Glenfarclas Single Malt matures. The combination of the characterful spirit and the sherry casks make Glenfarclas a niche whisky in a positive sense. It's not a pleasing everyman's Scotch, but a whisky with depth.

The fact that the Grant family has always gone its own way also benefits us connoisseurs today. During the whisky drought of the 1980s and 1990s, many whisky distilleries had to reduce their production or even close completely. Glenfarclas, on the other hand, continued to fill sherry casks with its spirit. The result is a well-stocked cask store with many old treasures.

Glenfarclas works with a huge 16.5 tonne mash tun, the largest in Scotland to date. The 12 stainless steel washbacks are equally monstrous in size. Fermentation is a minimum of 60 hours, but currently averages 102 hours. The beautiful large six copper stills are directly fuelled. With three pairs of pot stills, Glenfarclas has a production capacity of 3,500,000 litres per year. An annual output of 2.5 million litres is currently estimated.

The single malt from Glenfarclas lies dormant in 43 traditional Dunnage warehouses on site. The traditional approach of Glenfarclas is also evident here. Most Scotch whisky distilleries nowadays rely on space-saving racked warehouses, high warehouses with heavy-duty shelving. Glenfarclas remains faithful to the historic Dunnage Warehouses, flat stone buildings in which the whisky matures more slowly due to the cool humidity and proximity to the ground. Old-school Scotch in a nutshell.

The history of Glenfarclas

Whisky was distilled on the Glenfarclas site as early as 1797. The official founding of Glenfarclas Distillery goes back to Robert Hay in 1836. Scotch whisky has been distilled here under official licence since 1844. The distillery was sold to John Grant in 1865, whose descendants still own it today. This makes it one of the few whisky distilleries in Scotland that has always been privately owned. Glenfarclas was modernised for the first time in 1897. In 1960, the capacity was increased from two to four pot stills. The in-house malthouse was closed in 1965. Glenfarclas made another milestone in whisky history with the opening of the visitor centre in 1973, which was still a real rarity at the time. The current number of six pot stills was reached in 1976. Glenfarclas celebrated its 185th anniversary in 2021.

Figures & Facts about Glenfarclas

Address: Ballindalloch, Banffshire, AB37 9BD

Founded: 1836 by Robert Hay

Region: Speyside Whisky

Owner: J&G Grant

Type: Single malt Scotch whisky

Smoke: None/little smoky

Status: active

Capacity: approx. 3,500,000 lpa (litres per year)

Distillation stills: 3 wash stills (29,600 l), 3 spirit stills (25.000 l)

Washbacks: 12 (stainless steel)

Mash Tun: Semi Lauter, 16.5 tonnes

Water: Springs at Ben Rinnes

Visitor Centre: Yes

Phone: +44 (0) 1807 / 500245

Website: www.glenfarclas.co.uk