Blog > 175 years and still counting: a very independent Scottish distillery
Glenfarclas Distillery celebrated a unique milestone in its long history last year, having been owned by the Grants of Glenfarclas since the family signed the tenancy for Rechlerich Farm on 8th June 1865. As part of the transaction, the distillery was purchased for the princely sum of £511.19s.0d by John Grant, great, great grandfather of John L.S. Grant, the present Glenfarclas chairman.
2011 marked the 175th anniversary of whisky distilling at Glenfarclas so if you are trying to work out when it started it was in 1836. To commemorate the occasion, Glenfarclas produced two special release whiskies. The first was the 175th anniversary bottling; a marriage of 18 casks, three each from the last six decades. This was a release of 6000 bottles and we still have a few left.
The second bottling was the Glenfarclas Chairman’s Reserve, a limited edition of 1296 bottles released specially for their anniversary. Again with the number 175 in mind, they created something very special, bringing together four sherry casks from the 1960s whose combined ages add up to 175 years.
These are just two of Glenfarclas Distillery’s whiskies:
Along with their core range the easy drinking 10 Year Old to the fabulous 40 Year Old to their Family Cask range, they have something for everyone.
This is not a distillery to rest on past successes, however. 2012 sees them bring out a very limited bottling which has been resting quietly at Glenfarclas since 1967. After 43 years in French cognac casks, just 150 bottles will be released for the UK market in early February, at an ABV of 40.7%. This is a truly amazing whisky from Glenfarclas, and a great whisky to taste, as nothing like this has ever been done before or is likely to be done again in our lifetime!
George Grant, brand ambassador and son of present chairman, John, uses his senses, knowledge and exuberant personality to bring us his own tasting notes for this wee cracker. If you want to sample this limited bottling, you can pre-order one of the bottles from Ealain Gallery.
Tasting notes:
Colour - Dark, pure 24 carat gold.
Nose - Wonderful dried apricots, lovely malty sweetness, honeycomb candy, light spicy aromas, topped with fine white pepper, then the classic Glenfarclas burnt Demerara sugar.
Finish - Quite a dry finish, which is always good as more whisky is required to moisten your mouth. Dark bitter chocolate - German or Belgian - with a high cocoa content. Crushed almonds and light oakiness to finish.
Glenfarclas Distillery will be attending our two whisky clubs in Stirling on Thursday 2nd February and Drymen on Thursday 29th March. To book either of these nights, contact us at www.ealaingallery.co.uk
If you can’t make these dates, why not book a ticket for the Spirit of Stirling Whisky Festival on 12th May in the Albert Hall, Stirling where you will find not only Glenfarclas Distillery, but many more besides. You can book tickets at www.spiritofstirlingwhiskyfestival.co.uk
Win a bottle of Glenfarclas 175 Anniversary Bonew linkttling >>
• Cameron McCann is the owner of www.ealaingallery.co.uk and co-founder of www.spiritofstirlingwhiskyfestival.co.uk
