Glenfarclas over 12 years old F.W Hempel Metallurgical GmbH 45% vs Glenfarclas 25 yo 43%
Glenfarclas over 12 years old F.W Hempel Metallurgical GmbH 45%
This is obviously a very unique one, back from before anyone could bottle their own whisky. OK hmmm… it’s very metallic, a bucket of iron nails into which a burnt sauce was discarded. And sooty coal ovens, caked with old grime. Celery and edible ammonium chloride pastilles. Completely unmodern, but not very good. Right we are not lost as some richness is delivered in the guise of a cinnamon and licorice health tea. But its quickly followed by the dry inside of old herb cabinets, tacky kitchen tiles and bone broth stew. Very rustic, and very different though I’m not sure I know what to make of this. 85 pts
Glenfarclas 25 yo 43%
My personal and certainly unpopular view is that Glenfarclas needs a minimum of 20 years in the barrel. Glenfarclas young is brawny but just too raw and laden with off notes. Here that brawn leads us, willing or not, back into the kitchen and we are regaled with cooked herbs, used pans, cooked asafoetida and another broth bubbling on the stove. Bay and oregano are scattered about. Time and sherry rounds this picture out nicely with polished panels, mastic, rosehips and honey tea, marmalade, dried prunes and cocoa. Overall less sherried than earlier batches I think, and the sherry is needed here. 86 pts
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