Speaking of our “Battle of the Glen’s” idea from last week, we go here to Glenfarclas with a 105 proof whiskey that is best described by Buster Poindexter (hot, hot, hot)
As you may read shortly after, this was a family Christmas gift, and that’s very endearing for a whisky. Having something hot and powerful like this at a Christmas party is exactly the time to enjoy this whisky. That being said this by virtue of being Scottish has a bit of cost to it, that you could make up with going American.
What they Say: “In 1968, George S Grant, decided to bottle a cask of Glenfarclas at natural strength as a Christmas gift for family and friends.
The strength of that single cask was 105° British Proof – and Glenfarclas 105 was born.
We still select some of the finest casks from our warehouses and vat them together – without adding water – to give a constant strength of 60%. And today, Glenfarclas 105, the world’s first commercially available cask strength whisky, is just as smooth as ever.Bottled at 10 years old, Glenfarcas 105 is dry and assertive, with a rich spiciness that combines with hints of oak and sherried fruit to create a perfect warming dram. In short, all the great flavors of Glenfarclas in one glass.”
Taste: 6.5 – It has this nice combo of smoky yet sweet, that’s quite nice.
Aftertaste: 6.0 – Split your lungs wit blood and thunder lads. Because that fire and brimstone you were missing from a cask strength whiskey is here.
Burn/Smooth: 4.0 – That is not smooth, and it really shouldn’t be which is why it’s only a 4.
Aroma: 5.5 – If you were expecting fire and brimstone at a 105 proof scotch, sorry to disappoint. It’s a very dry and nearly nonexistent smell with just a twinge of flavor.
Honesty: 8.5 – It has a very simple look and design, they don’t go crazy with the test, and it punches like a brick on fire. Overall it does very well here. That may seem high, but as they mention in the spirit of christmas, let’s give it to them.
Mixability: 5.0
W/ Rocks: 5.0 – That cuts some of the heat down, but not a lot. Overall it’s better, but not exactly something that you would pay for over say – a good hot bourbon..
Value: 3.0 – It may be overproof, but this is the major problem. If you want a whiskey that runs hot you have so many options with bourbon that are a much better value here.
Google Shop Average: $59
Website: http://glenfarclas.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 5.0
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Metric Score: 38.5/70 |+| Metric Average: 5.5 |+| Reviewer Average: 5.0
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Final Thoughts: I got a small bottle of this, but even looking back it was nearly as expensive as another scotch in full-size. Having a ‘natural-proof’ scotch is all well and good, but it’s just not worth it. It’s been said multiple times, but go to Kentucky here, not the scottish highlands.
