GLENFARCLAS-GLENLIVET 1973 41YO - CADENHEAD AUTHENTIC COLLECTION

After my last post, I thought it would be fitting to do a post where, as I mentioned here, some Cadenhead bottling actually do carry the Glenfarclas name - and this one of them. Bottled back in 2014, this is not one you'll come across every day, but if you do and want to treat yourself to a little extra, go for it

This family-owned distillery -one of the last in Scotland- is one of my favorite distilleries, certainly in my top 3. Why? Because they still do things the way they want to - and not to satisfy a large number of shareholders demanding a return on their stock every year. And you know what? It works for Glenfarclas!

Glenfarclas seems to make consistently good whisky which is very important and also seems to be able to still source some very good casks - especially their sherry casks! Long-standing contracts with sherry producers have secured a steady flow of good sherry casks and we just have to cross our fingers that this will last.

Glenfarclas Distillery Visitors Centre, September 15th 2019 © The Malt Desk

Glenfarclas-Glenlivet 1973 41yo 40,7%, bottled July 2014, ex-bourbon hogshead, 186 bottles, Cadenhead Authentic Collection

Nose:
Very laid back, quite possibly because of the low abv
It has dusty wood, vanilla, loads of sugary notes, the artificial strawberry scent from the strawberry cream caramels. Also vanilla, a little wood sap, and fruits in there, loads of them! Sweet mandarins, mango juice, peaches, and banana. Very tropical but also with that little touch of wood to keep it all in place - Very nice and I like this dignified old-style bourbon cask that still manages to deliver in spite of its very long time in the cask. 

Taste:
Gentle, yet expressive arrival...

This is candied fruits galore, turning into a nice malty finish.
We're all over the fruit range here, from apple notes, apricot, lemons, and honeydew melon covered in vanilla and a sprinkle of icing sugar.
All this turns into a slightly drying gingery note and some dusty greenish wood along with a dominant malty note that eventually has to give away to a little
drying oak and a slight herbal note.

This is a delicate malt and bottled just in time at 40,7%.
Also, more time in the cask will probably have tipped this OTT and introduced far more drying and bitter notes.

But at this stage - lovely old stuff! and since I don't do ½ points

91/100!