Glenfarclas – 17 Year (75cl, 43%)

This is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky from Glenfarclas, matured for seventeen years in sherry casks and bottled at 43% in a 75cl bottle. Glenfarclas is family-owned, in the hands of the Grant family for six generations, and still heats its copper pot stills by direct fire. The distillery tried steam heating briefly in 1981 before going back to the old method. The nose brings butterscotch, honey, dried cherries and cocoa, with a thread of smoke. On the palate, lemon peel and green apple sit against sherry sweetness, then honeyed oak, malt and ripe cherry. The finish is long, with nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa and leather.