Glenfarclas 30 - Am I Missing Something?

[brisbane]

I ordered a bottle of Glenfarclas 30 from an online distributor last week. Technically, they're not supposed to ship to where I live but it got through customs anyways. I've never had a Glenfarclas as I rarely if ever see it here but had heard great things about the 30yo.

Frankly, I'm not very impressed with it given how highly regarded it is and am wondering if it is what it is or if there's something "off" (and no, I've never had an "off" scotch, ever). I was expecting something heavily sherried and syrupy; instead, the mouthfeel is thinner than I anticipated and so is the flavour -- it reminds me more of a bourbon than anything. It's somewhat sweet, but tastes almost watered down and is not as smooth as I'd have thought I'm by no means a connoisseur, but I've had my share of scotch. For reference, my mainstream preferred taste profiles are: Cragganmore 12, Oban 14, Longmorn 16, Lagavulin 16, Highland Park 18, Macallan 18 and Talisker 25. (I've had many more scotches than those, however.) All else being equal, I generally prefer cask-strength (though I realize many of those are not), and brighter malts, though I'm open to smokier/peatier ones like the Lagavulin and Talisker. (Though I still can't stomach Laphroaig, and maybe never will.)

Long story short, does this sound plausible or is there something wrong with the bottle? For full disclosure, it arrived with a broken cap (the cork was intact but separated from the top) and I've since replaced with the cork from the also-sherry-cask-aged GlenDronach Allardice 18. That said, I doubt either of those factors should affect the bottle?

Appreciate the input.

[michael]

Welcome to the Whisky.com Forum! I've upgraded your status. You can post freely now.

[jwise]

I've never had the Glenfarclas 30, but I've had the 10, 12, 15, 17, 21 and 25.

Let me review my notes and see:

Glenfarclas 25:

Nose: WHAT A NOSE! Wow. DEElicious. Currants, apple fritters, cinnamon, and fruitcake! I am loving this. Just the slightest bit of nose tingle. Just enough to remind me its a whisky that I'm nosing, and not a frosted Christmas cake! Mmmmmm.....

Palate: Ooh! A little tart. Spices building. The mouth leaves a lot to be desired. Not very good, really.

Finish: THERE IT IS! Long and wonderful. Not very sweet at all; mostly spicy and cinnamon. The backwash of aroma is fantastic. Just a subdued version of the nose. More spice; less sweet.

I come back to the nose for the best part. It is intense, flavorful, and mind-numbing. Pralines. So good.

This whisky has a great nose, but the 15yr beats it -- hands down.

Glenfarclas 21:

Nose: Reminds me of Macallan 18yr. Lively. Sweet sherry on the nose. Just a bit of nose tingle, and plenty of depth. Apple. Delicious, ripe, Honeycrisp apples. Some Werther's Original, toffee candy. A hint of tart, unripe fruit, maybe a sour grape? It is activating my saliva glands in my mouth, making it water! I can't wait any longer, I MUST taste it! (Maybe a bit like Glenrothes 1998?)

Palate: Wow! Candy apple. Butterscotch candies. Spicy. Delicious. Very good. I want another sip. Maybe a bit spirited (meaning, not all that smooth).

Finish: Long, with a bit of burn. The tongue tingles with some spicy notes. Honestly, not the best finish.

Is this really a 21yr Scotch? I think I like the 15yr moreso than this. The nose is excellent, and the palate is delicious, but the finish is leaving a bit to be desired. The sherry is nearly completely missing from the finish.

[jwise]

All in all, the 15 and 17 year are my favorites. The 15 is better, but the 17 is available here in the US and the 15 is not.

[drakoskl]

i had the 30 year old a few times and it is excellent. sherried and very smooth.

[brisbane]

Originally Posted by drakoskl

i had the 30 year old a few times and it is excellent. sherried and very smooth.

Is it possible it's *too* smooth? I've never had a 30-year whisky before (though I've had plenty of 21yo and 25yo), so maybe I'm not used to it.

I've had a few more glasses since my original post, and while I'm starting to come around to it a little more, I completely lose it in the midpalate. It's got a great nose, and nice initial flavour that then disappears completely before returning on the (long) finish. It completely falls flat of how amazing the nose is...it's almost too subtle.

[jwise]

I prefer JW Green and Gold over Blue, as Blue is too subtle.

I typically prefer Aberlour 16 over 18 for the same reason.

[brisbane]

Actually I've had the Glen Ord 30 and that was spectacular...but also cask-strength.