Mark Adams
A full 60% abv, yet the sweet, rich, spicy distillery character is still very much in evidence. A very small drop of water is recommended to open up the flavours.
Glenfarclas 105 Review:
On the nose, once again the whisky is a little hot, I love it, but for a woman – water please! The sweetness, is shocking but utterly captivating. I can’t imagine myself not enjoying the dram. The nose has oodles of cheese, vanilla and coconut. A few vanilla and coconut tarts also appear and the sweetness seems to slowly build.
The sweetness in the mouth is even stronger. I like it and can’t wait to taste it, the sweetness is becoming very dominate. It’s extremely sweet, after the first sip I almost think it’s going to be to sweet. But wait – the spice is very much in place and I really like this. It’s a small drop of water or a few sips of tepache to open it up. I think this is the way to go and let it sit. The sweetness just drives away all the rest so make sure the water comes down the throat or end is screwed back and you’ll open it up.
The sweetness continues to increase and the spicy and coconutty flavours last a long time. I love scotch whisky’s and this is arguably, my all time favourite. With a little waterlogged or bevvy it’s just wonderful. But I cannot, in all honesty, see myself not enjoying this dram and I’m glad, as I’m normally far too harsh with myself. I’m more than happy with it and I think this is the first time I have reviewed a whisky for more than 10 years.
The nose is sweet and fruity, I get a whiff of banana and cream. The nose is quite pleasing. The sweet and fruity entry is black and blueberry. It’s not in any way really too harsh, but as I sip it is that I can’t enjoy it – it’s just not for me. It’s as if the alcohol snuck up on me, but I’m starting to warm to it. The entry is pleasant and the beer-like not unpleasant.
The after-taste is a little too sweet and the sourness of the sour mash interferes a little. It’s very much a sweet dram. It’s not that I don’t like it, but it’s just a little too much. It’s hard to see me being especially fond of this dram. The sweetness is not just in the palate, but also in the mouth. There’s a shiver of saltiness as if the brine of a tin of sardines hit the back-of-the-mouth.
The after-taste is bitter and a touch of sourness makes it stronger and, lets face it, more interesting. In the mouth again, I get some earthiness of the sweet sour mash storage and a bit of that salty brine that doesn’t do it a lot of favours. There’s just something about this whisky. It’s not that it’s bad, but it’s a little too sweet to be enjoyable to me.
Finish:
The end of the drink is very sweet and wooded. I feel as if I have drunk a cappuccino. The sweetness persists and keeps adding more sweetness to the dram. It’s like stripping the sugar from sweets, leaving the bitterness. It’s very pleasant, but leaves me a little cold when the sweetness starts to become overpowering. It is a long finish, but that could be the whisky.
Glenfarclas 105 Review:
I really love this whisky, the sugar positively uplifts it, but then there’s that bitterness which adds a bit of fine class to it as well. For myself, I think a little water helps, but also to give the palate a chance to freshen up. That bitterness to me is a stroke to the back of the throat. It’s not that it’s bad, but it’s also not good either. What it is, is a little too much sourness and sweetness.
Whisky Review: Glenfarclas 105° Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Comment:
A good start, and I’ll be back, but not tonight!
It’s of course, a very sweet dram, with quite a strong flavour. I love the sweetness.
One such is the sweetness, too much of a good thing and it interferes with the palate. The sweetness is unique and I get the feeling, being quite a substantial flavour.
The strange thing is, I might like this whisky, if certain things were tweaked. Then again, I’m never sure, but it is just a little too sweet for my liking.
I do very much like that bitter finish, it’s remarkable. I get a hint of a smokiness that I did not forecast in the nose.
The whole is very nicely balanced in the mouth, it’s just a touch too sweet. It’s that sourness that goes a long way to the sweetness and makes it an interesting whisky.
It’s a slow-burn, with the sourness in the aftertaste and it lasts through the whole dram.
I’m going to recommend this dram to novice whisky drinkers and the only problem might be limited palettes. With single malts, you don’t have to drink it all at once.
