Glenfarclas Quarter CAsk

[Deactivated Member]

Yes, you read that title correctly, I have just received notification from one of my suppliers about a new Glenfarclas; Quarter Cask!

46%
Cask No.s 3704-3707, 3859 & 3960
Distilled 1987 and limited to 1299 bottles.

I have posted this in Collector's Corner, but I must say if I can get some, I think I would love to taste this one.

First deliveries in Germany will not be before May.

WH

[bamber]

Sounds tasty. Not had a 'Farclas for a while.

[Di Blasi]

Wow, sounds exciting! I'll have to look into it here in Norway now too! I love the Laphroaig Quarter Cask, and wonder how this other excellent distillery's expression will fare? Thanks for the post!

[Aidan]

Yes, you read that title correctly, I have just received notification from one of my suppliers about a new Glenfarclas; Quarter Cask!

46%
Cask No.s 3704-3707, 3859 & 3960
Distilled 1987 and limited to 1299 bottles.

I have posted this in Collector's Corner, but I must say if I can get some, I think I would love to taste this one.

First deliveries in Germany will not be before May.

WH

Do you know if it was finished in the quarter casks or matured entirely in quarter casks? I didn't know anyone was doing this back in 1987. I'll deffinately be trying to get my hands on some of this.

[Deactivated Member]

It doesn't specify whether it was always in QCs, or only finished.

The promotional material says that it was distilled in 1987. It gives the cask numbers and says they are 125 litres each. They it talks about the intensive sherry aroma and deep colour.

I have just placed an order as this is an extremely interesting bottle which I hope to get some of.

WH

[Aidan]

It doesn't specify whether it was always in QCs, or only finished.

The promotional material says that it was distilled in 1987. It gives the cask numbers and says they are 125 litres each. They it talks about the intensive sherry aroma and deep colour.

I have just placed an order as this is an extremely interesting bottle which I hope to get some of.

WH

Thnaks Whiskyhammer - I'll be looking into getting some myself.

[Deactivated Member]

For the German speakers amongst you.

The top couple of paragraphs are about the 1986 "Family Reserve" which is pictured left - out of my scan as this is a large promotional sheet.

Then the QC is described and pictured (right).

WH

http://www.whisky-emporium.com/Pix-pool/farclas.jpg

[Deactivated Member]

For any collectors of the "Family Reserve" series, then this 1986 (out of scan) is limited to 760 bottles!

WH

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I have just placed an order as this is an extremely interesting bottle which I hope to get some of.......

WH

Excellent info WH where did you place you order? Would love to place one too.

Cheers

Adrian.

[Deactivated Member]

Adrian,
as I have a business permit, the order was placed with the offical importer and wholesale dealer of Glenfarclas and Bruichladdich (plus a few others) into Germany.

I could PM the details, but you would need to be Germany-based and have a German Gewerbeanmeldung.

WH

[Deactivated Member]

Yes, you read that title correctly, I have just received notification from one of my suppliers about a new Glenfarclas; Quarter Cask!

46%
Cask No.s 3704-3707, 3859 & 3960
Distilled 1987 and limited to 1299 bottles.

I have posted this in Collector's Corner, but I must say if I can get some, I think I would love to taste this one.

First deliveries in Germany will not be before May.

WH

Do you know if it was finished in the quarter casks or matured entirely in quarter casks? I didn't know anyone was doing this back in 1987. I'll deffinately be trying to get my hands on some of this.

Aidan,
last night I read another chapter from my recently acquired "Malt Whisky Yearbook 2006" and was amazed to read the following from Arthur Motley regarding the early days of the SMWS and how it started:
"In the 1970's Pip Hills was visiting two old friends," ........."At the time Glenfarclas distillery kept sherry quarter casks for the local gentry, a practice rooted in the 19th Century."

So, it really looks like Glenfarclas have been using QCs for a very long time, certainly from the 1970's.
WH

[Lawrence]

I've read that before but had not tied the two points together, well done.

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

I just held a bottle of Glenfarclas 1987 QC in my hands. I think that there is nothing unusual here. The way I read the information the QCs used were not new like with Laphroaig.
Therefore I would say that no new oak was involved and that the time from 1987 until April 2006 was not freighted with the influence of new oak wood over the years.
What I don´t get is the mentioning of the used QCs maturing the malt faster. QCs do that, even if they are used, nothing unusual there.
If so, why leave the whisky in the barrels for almost 19 years? And how much further matured than their actual age are they so to speak?

Greetings
kallaskander

[Deactivated Member]

Well, the QCs have now arrived and I do find this quite interesting. The label says "Intensive Sherry" so I am very interested to taste this one.
The total bottling is 1299 bottles and each is individually numbered.

These are delivered from the distillery in boxes of 6 bottles and the packing is excellent; each bottle having its own straw wrapper.

[Aidan]

Where can I buy some of this?

[kiltrock68]

[quote="Aidan"]Where can I buy some of this?[/quote]

look here:

http://www.whisky-doris.de/

Its 61 Euros a bottle + postage

[parvus]

Hmm, I wish I could a) speak german and b) have that shipped to NZ.

Ahh well, any chance of some tasting notes from you WH, or am I right in assuming you purchased them soley for investmenty reasons?

[Aidan]

Where can I buy some of this?

look here:

http://www.whisky-doris.de/

Its 61 Euros a bottle + postage

Thanks Kiltrock.

[Deactivated Member]

Any interested parties are welcome to contact me!

WH

[Frodo]

Very decent of you WH. Unfortunatly, customs would seize any whisky sent to me...

[Lawrence]

Unfortunatly, customs would seize any whisky sent to me

True about 5% of the time.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

The packaging is very unusual I hope you dont have to spend the day hovering the house after it

[Deactivated Member]

IWC,
funny you should say that!
I opened these to check the bottles and also one bottle to photograph.
My desk finished up covered in straw and there was also a trail of straw to where I took the photo and back again.

[Lawrence]

WH, have you tasted the GQC yet? I'm curious to know what it tastes like,

Lawrence

[Deactivated Member]

Hi Lawrence,
sorry for the delay in replying but I haven't been online very much over the last few days.

I have the QCs but I have not tried any yet.
I do plan on opening a bottle sometime over the next week and will post my findings here.

WH

[Lawrence]

Well it only took you an hour to respond so I managed to survive.

I look forward to reading you comments in due course.

Lawrence

[Deactivated Member]

Pure luck in when I logged on!

(Yes, this is me!)

[Di Blasi]

Has the WhiskyHammer "split" his personality?? Interested in seeing what tricks, or whiskies, he's got up his sleeve!

[Deactivated Member]

Hi Blasi, no tricks at all.

I will continue to use this ID for my general posts and the WhiskyHammer ID for specific recommendations, advice and valuations.

I hope this is not against any forum rules, but I am not hiding what you call my "Split Personality".

[Di Blasi]

Was just joking! I don't see anything wrong with it; I think it's great! Why not?

[Deactivated Member]

I will be inviting one of my smaller but regular customers round either Tuesday or Wednesday this coming week for a personal discussion / tasting at home.

He will get a sample of whatever blended I have in my personal drinks cabinet, plus the Bruichladdich 3D Peat Proposal (Which I believe he will be buying a bottle of), plus the Bruichladdich Rocks and also the Glenfarclas QC.
I will join him in the QC so will post my notes here after that time.
He is relatively new to whisky (last 8-12 months) and likes a peaty flavour. He loves Ardbeg 17 but usually buys the more reasonably priced Ardbeg 10. I want to introduce him to a couple of other ideas, hence this mini tasting.

Anyone else around Munich at this time fancy a little mini freebie?
MT

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I had this last night. Thanks WH. Much lighter than I thought it would be. Probably an aperitif whiskey. Still enjoyed it though.

Nose: Starting Briefly Earthy & Malty. Very sweet like light honey or sugar syrup, Raisin and slight citrus in the background.

Taste: Surprisingly not as sweet as the smell. Burnt Toffee, treacle, bitter cough mixture (slight liquorice) Smoke on the palate.

Finish I felt was shortish, the lovely light smoke remained and overall very smooth and oily.

Can be quite spicey when taken after a sweet wine.

This was my first tasting so I'll let it develope a bit before I go back to it.

I'll be very interested in your tasting WH/MT. Thanks a million.

[Deactivated Member]

Hi IWC,
my own tasting will be this evening, in just under 2 hours to be exact.

As previously mentioned, a local chap who is quite new to whisky but likes the peaty flavours is coming to collect one of my last few Laddie 3Ds - The (original) Peat Proposal.

I have offered to pour him a couple of different drams so on offer will be:

Glen Grant Family Reserve blended
Bruichladdich Rocks
the 3D Peat Proposal
Glenfarclas QC

I will post again after this and let you know my own thoughts.
MT

[Deactivated Member]

Well, the mini-tasting is over and I have two very happy people along with myself.

The opening dram was a quick introduction to Grants Family Reserve blended whisky.
My main guest said that he had previously tried a couple of bourbons and also Teachers Highland Cream - which he said was a pleasant dram.
He quite enjoyed the Grant and compared it quite favourably to Teachers.

This is also my opinion.
My girlfriend declined this one as she doesn't like whisky that tastes like "whisky"! (Yes, her favourite dram is Laphroaig 10).

Secondly came the Laddie Rocks - this is now almost the end of the bottle I opened some 4-5 weeks ago.
Now much more mellow than I initially found, certainly the initial spiciness has gone.
My girlfriend said the nose was unpleasant.
My main guest admitted that the nose was "very different" and couldn't quite place the actual elements of it, but it was a very pleasant nose.
They both enjoyed the dram and admitted that there was indeed a lingering after-taste of licorice.

Thirdly came the Glenfarclas Quarter Cask,
Now this is the one I have been longing to try since I heard about it some weeks ago.
A lovely dark colour, apparently promising much sherry and depth of flavour.

Nose:
Very different, totally unexpected.
I found it very hard to identify the main elements of the nose. Definitely some sherry, plenty of wood, possibly even slightly smokey wood. But something else, slightly medicinal and reminding me of something way back from childhood, but I just cannot place it!

My girlfriend insisted that the nose was exactly that of a large country house wood-panelled library. She said it was exactly like a musty old library - in a comfortable, homely and pleasant sort of way.

Taste:
My own feeling was one of sherry, but certainly not as much sherry or as heavy or sweet as I had expected. Here I agree with IWC that it was a much lighter experience than I had expected, but this was no bad thing, just different to my expectations of a 17-18 year old Quarter Cask sherried whisky. It certainly was not as heavy or sherried as the Laddie 1986 dark sherry!
My main guest did comment on some licorice in there, but I didn't personally find any. I did, however, find plenty of chocolate - almost dark bitter chocolate rather than milk chocolate. I also found plenty of very slightly smokey wood.
Is the QC from first fill casks? I would think not, as where I expected lots of deep sherry, I found smokey oak.

As I have said, this experience was totally different to expectations, but it was rather pleasant. This is not a heavy dram, nor is it sweet or unpleasant. I think I could get rather used to this one but I slightly disagree with IWC in one area: Even though it is a lighter whisky than most sherried ones, I would not really want this as an aperitif. I think it would make a reasonable after dinner malt, but perhaps after not such a heavy meal!

Most pleasant.

Finally, we ended the evening with the original Laddie 3D Peat proposal:
This was the main attraction or "Star" for my main guest as he likes the peaty whiskies and came to buy some of this dram in particular.

Exactly as expected, the 3D delivered a delightful dosage of peat without anger, fire or drama.
He accepted a second dram, purchased some to take home and went away a very happy man.
He even said that on reflection, although the two are very different, he prefers the 3D to Ardbeg 10. But his absolute favourite from the few he has so far tasted is the Ardbeg 17.

Meanwhile, my girlfriend decided the 3D was also her preferred dram of the evening, especially after further experimentation with another glass or three!

As for myself, I do like the 3D, but that Glenfarclas QC was something I will be returning to!
(Now, I wonder if I can hide the other bottles from the taxman )

[irishwhiskeychaser]

My own feeling was one of sherry, but certainly not as much sherry or as heavy or sweet as I had expected. Here I agree with IWC that it was a much lighter experience than I had expected, but this was no bad thing, just different to my expectations of a 17-18 year old Quarter Cask sherried whisky. It certainly was not as heavy or sherried as the Laddie 1986 dark sherry!
My main guest did comment on some licorice in there, but I didn't personally find any. I did, however, find plenty of chocolate - almost dark bitter chocolate rather than milk chocolate. I also found plenty of very slightly smokey wood.
Is the QC from first fill casks? I would think not, as where I expected lots of deep sherry, I found smokey oak.

As I have said, this experience was totally different to expectations, but it was rather pleasant. This is not a heavy dram, nor is it sweet or unpleasant. I think I could get rather used to this one but I slightly disagree with IWC in one area: Even though it is a lighter whisky than most sherried ones, I would not really want this as an aperitif. I think it would make a reasonable after dinner malt, but perhaps after not such a heavy meal!

Most pleasant.

Yes I would have to agree with the after dinner bit... I had some after dinner yesterday and it was a great way to finish. I was tempted to have a cube of ice but resisted. There is definately something bitter (a good thing) in the taste which could be dark chocolate but I need to taste some dark chocolate again. This really complememts the sweet nose.