Glenfarclas 1954 Family Casks #1253 Sherry Cask

Glenfarclas 1954 Family Casks #1253 Sherry

• Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Distillery Bottling

70cl / 46.3%

A 1954 vintage Glenfarclas, released as part of their single cask The Family Casks series. This edition comes with the new style wooden box packaging.

Colour: deep gold. Nose: nice! Typical easy fruitiness and sweetness. Lots of toffee apples, sultanas, prunes, green banana, light pastries and wee notes of pollen, sunflower oil and orange bitters. Surprisingly accessible for 60%. Continues with nice notes of cocoa, red cola cubes, pears baked in calvados and a light waxy note such as canvas. Perhaps a wee hint of paprika. With water: goes pretty cloudy! Then there’s a little caraway, some orange juice and lemon jelly. Gets a tad simple with water which is a small pity.

Mouth: again, it wears its strength very lightly, which I always love in cask strength whiskies. In place of that there’s this wonderful syrupy quality, lots of juicy fruits, some pineapple notes, quince, garden fruits glazed with honey, muesli, dates and cinnamon sugar. In time it evolves more towards earth, pollen, dried flowers, white pepper and toasted seeds. With water: you really feel this is a big, fatty, oily dram now that water is added. I prefer the palate with water than the nose certainly. Glenfarclas 1954 Family Casks #1253 Sherry Cask

More spices, jasmine, fruit teas, five spice, fruity red chilli, orange and coriander marmalade and some green chartreuse. Finish: good length but perhaps a bit staggery, if you see what I mean. A prickle of heat and pepper along with more earthy tones, dried fruits, aniseed and flowers. Comments: A curious one. Some parts are really excellent, such as the neat nose and much of the palate. But it seems to be a bit inconsistent with water. Maybe one of these ones that you need to pour two drams of? Now, having said all that, I still think it’s pretty excellent whisky and a rather fun wee dram.