High proof sherry monsters

bedlamborn · January 17 2017 at 2:40PM

There are several distilleries that produce high proof whiskies such the Aberlour A'bunadh and the Glenfarclas 105. I have just tried the Glenfarclas 105 and it was very interesting. Despite the high ABV of 60% the smell was not alcoholic and I drank it a few drops at a time and the taste was very intensive and interesting.

Can anyone say how the other whiskies of the same type compares to Glenfarclas 105, such as Aberlour A'bunadh, Tamdhu Batch Strength or Glengoyne Cask strength

Slàinte_Mhath · January 18 2017 at 9:40AM

Can anyone say how the other whiskies of the same type compares to Glenfarclas 105, such as Aberlour A'bunadh, Tamdhu Batch Strength or Glengoyne Cask strength

I tried Glenfarclas 105 and was thoroughly disappointed. I would not have expected a so immature malt of Glenfarclas, the 12-year-old expression is light years ahead of this...
Just my 2 cents.

As for better options, I recently tasted a Glendronach vintage 1989 (22yr) that was superb! Aberlour A'bunadh is always a keeper although some people believe that its quality has suffered over the past years. It becomes more difficult to find quality sherry casks and some are just 'coated' with sherry - they didn't actually mature sherry for a long time. You will notice the difference when you've tasted a lot of sherry whiskies.

Cheers!

bedlamborn · January 18 2017 at 6:42PM

@SlàinteMhath
I have a bottle of Glendronach 18yo that is waiting to be opened and next week I will buy a Glengoyne 21yo as I can find it for maybe 80 euros which is a bargain :smile:
Will try the Glenfarclas 105 next week again at a local pub and see if I get the same good experience the first time I tried it.

Shmotch · January 19 2017 at 12:30AM

@bedlamborn

The Glenfarclas is 105 is interesting, it's probably an 8 year

in sticking with the high proof theme...

Springbank 12 is a sherried malt and the bottle I have is 56.3%
off the beaten path Black Adder Black Snake is a high proof Sherry finished monster
Mortlach produces Sherry cask and there are some great independent bottlings that have the high proof you seek...
if you like peat, there are some "distillers choice/edition" Talisker and Lagavulin that incorporate a healthy dose of Sherry and higher proof

hwchoy · January 19 2017 at 7:25AM

and there are always the Kavalan Solist single casks in various sherry finishing, so far I know of Sherry, Moscatel, and PX. Expensive and hard to find though.

bedlamborn · January 19 2017 at 8:12PM

@Shmotch
That Springbank 12 would be wonderful but so hard to find.

I have both of the Lagavulin/Talisker distillers edition and The Talisker is one I will open soon as soon as my 10yo is finished.

@hwchoy
They have the Kavalan soloist Sherry in Sweden. Very expensive at around 120 punds/140 euros. People say it is an excellent whisky.

horst_s_2 · January 23 2017 at 8:32AM

bedlamborn said:
Can anyone say how the other whiskies of the same type compares to Glenfarclas 105, such as Aberlour A'bunadh, Tamdhu Batch Strength or Glengoyne Cask strength

I had the Tamdhu and the Glengoyne already. There is the video of the Tamdhu here an the vid of Glengoyne here.

All of these bottles show the same effect. If you dilute the whisky down to 40-43% and wait for half an hour its taste reduce to a simple and young Sherry cask whisky.

You have to savor these bottles either neat (which I do not prefer) or immediately after adding water, so that you are able to recognize the instationary tastes of the whisky.

bedlamborn · January 23 2017 at 8:21PM

@horst_s
Thanks, I watched the Tamdhu video and it was a quite interesting discussion about what batch strength meant. As batch is used for a lot of things in the whisky industry.

On a ferry to Finland this weekend I found a Glenfarclas family cask 2004 with an ABV of 63,7%, Now that is even higher than their Glenfarclas 105.