Glenfarclas 12 year old 70 cl Single Highland Malt Whisky 40%

Two years more than the ten year old and three percentage points higher. It does not sound like much, but at Glenfarclas it makes the difference between a whisky you drink and a whisky you sit with.

The expert's description

Glenfarclas 12 Year Old is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks and bottled at 43%.

The twelve years is the distillery best-selling release and the one most people use as a reference point for the house style. The sherry is clear but has not taken over yet, and at 43% the whisky carries more body than the 10 year old without demanding anything particular of the drinker.

The name Glenfarclas means the glen of the green grassland, and it is exactly that freshness you find beneath the sherry here. It is a note that runs through the whole range and keeps turning up, however many years the cask is given.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fresh and crisp, with a lightly spiced sweetness and a touch of orange. The sherry sits as a warm base beneath it all.

Palate

Full with notes of dried fruit, new wood and a light sweet smoke. The 43% gives the whisky a firmness the 10 year old lacks, and the spice builds slowly towards the end.

Finish

Surprisingly long. Elegant spice and dried fruit lingering further than the age suggests.

Specifications

Name: Glenfarclas 12 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks

Flavour profile

Sherried · Spiced · Dried fruit · Fruity · Malty

Did you know?

Glenfarclas has a board room panelled with wood from the ocean liner Empress of Australia. The panelling came from the ship’s drawing room and was put up in the visitor centre, which has been called The Ship’s Room ever since.

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Frequently asked questions about Glenfarclas 12 Year Old

What is the difference between the 10 and the 12 year old?

Two years in wood and three percentage points. The 10 year old sits at 40% and is lighter and more direct, while the 12 at 43% has more body and a clearer spiced build. The sherry is the same family, but it takes up more room in the older one.

Is there smoke in it?

A light sweet smoke note, but it does not come from peated malt. Glenfarclas uses unpeated barley, and the smoke tone comes from the direct firing under the stills. See the other Scottish styles in our Scotch Whisky selection.

Is it a good place to start with Glenfarclas?

Yes, alongside the 10 year old. The 12 is the most widely sold release and the one most people use to decide whether the house style suits them. If you like it, the range continues up through 15, 21, 25 and 40 years.

How is it best enjoyed?

Neat, at room temperature. At 43% water is not needed, but a single drop can pull the orange note forward. Give it five minutes in the glass first.

Does it work with food?

It performs well after a meal with dried fruit, nuts or dark chocolate. The spice of the sherry meets the food, and the modest strength means the whisky does not take over.

What does the name Glenfarclas mean?

The glen of the green grassland. The distillery sits at the foot of Ben Rinnes in Speyside, and there is a green, fresh note in the whisky that many associate with exactly that landscape.

How long does the bottle keep once opened?

A couple of years without trouble if the cork seals well and the bottle is stored dark. At 43% the whisky is less sensitive to air than a 40% bottling, but drink the last third within a year or so.