Glenfarclas – 12 Year Old (70cl)

This is a 12 year old Speyside single malt from Glenfarclas, a distillery at the foot of Ben Rinnes that dates its heritage to 1836. The Grant family has owned it since 1865. The whisky is made in direct-fired copper stills and matured in Oloroso sherry casks sourced from Spain, which give it a rich, sherried character. The name means 'Valley of the Green Grass' in Gaelic. The palate is medium-bodied, with dried fruits, walnut cake and toffee apple sweetness, plus an earthy forest-floor note and a touch of smoke. The finish is long and spicy, with allspice, cinnamon and cloves, a zest of orange and lingering sherry richness.