Sometimes you open a bottle, and the aroma’s drifting from the bottle instantly beckon you to pour yourself an extra large dram. This Glenfarclas 1997 from the Family Casks series (summer batch 2024) is definitely one of those bottles. When I opened the bottled at work it literally turned heads and the samples poured at the festival sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd.
We had a huge line-up of family casks to choose from, and I opened every single one of them. But none jumped from the bottle like this particular release. In fact it made me a little bit sad my birthyear isn’t 1997, as the 1988 release did not have that same wow effect. In fact, no other bottle from the entire festival line-up had such a profound effect on me (and others around me) as this particular Family Cask release.
I knew instantly I had to give this one a review, as even week laters I find myself raving about it everywhere I go. Sometimes you just encounter something so unique and special, that even though the fire might not have gone out, it still reignites you passion with a newfound vigor. This was one of those drams for me, so without further ado… let’s dive into today’s Glenfarclas 1997 review!
Tasting Notes: Glenfarclas 1997 Family Casks Summer 2024
Stats:
Age: 26/27 years (Vintage 1997)
ABV: 55,4% (110,8 proof)
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Chill-filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes
Nose:
As if you’re opening a fresh can of Maraschino cherries, as soon as you pop the bottle the luxurious cherries come beckoning you to the glass. Paired with a lovely sherry syrup, an abundance of christmas cake notes, and luscious rum soaked raisins. In other words, there’s plenty here to love for those of us with a sweet tooth. But it has heaps of complexity beyond that as well, with notes of cardemom, cinnamon and aniseed for the herbal parts. And some exquisite dark chocolate covered tangerine parts, to add a touch of citrus as well.
Palate:
On the palate there’s once again plenty of complexity, but it’s a (pleasant) fair bit less sweet than the nose might lead you to believe. It starts out with Hibiscus tea, infused with a spoonfull of Manuka honey. After which the cherry notes return in the form of Cherry Heering liqueur. There’s also some citrus in the form of candied orange peels, kumquats and finger limes. A bit of spice with nutmeg and a dusting of freshly ground black pepper. And some liquorice root and molasses for some deeper, darker flavours.
Finish:
This Glenfarclas 1997 has a very long finish, and it absolutely sings! It starts out with an abundance of crushed pepper corns, fading slowly into a spicier Szechuan pepper. There’s some liquorice elements in the form of Salmiak drops. And a beautifully elegant wine note that reminds me of a fine aged Barolo. Some orange zest, a touch of lime provide some citrus to the finish. And brown sugar, cacao and heavy vanilla seems to bring it all together as one consistent whole.
Food Pairing:
Like I said when reviewing the 30 year old Laphroaig… just don’t. Some drams are meant to be savoured in all their purity, and this is one of those drams!
Verdict:
What an absolutely spectacular dram. The way it stands out amongst it’s peers (other Family Casks bottlings) which are nothing to turn your nose up at either… should tell you something about the journey a dram like this is going to take you on. This is without a doubt one of the best whiskies I’ve ever tried, I can safely say it belongs somewhere in my top 5. And I’ve tried quite a few spectacular drams. My absolute #1 favourite Glenfarclas, that’s for sure!
