Glenfarclas Whisky The Family Casks New Range Of Expression

[William]

Glenfarclas Whisky have just launched a new range of Glenfarclas expressions, The Family Casks. This is a collection of 43 single casks, with one for every year from 1952 to 1994. Launching 43 single casks from one distillery on the same day is an industry first. Prices for The Family Casks vary from around £80 for the 1994 to £1145 for the 1952 at the distillery's visitor centre and whisky specialist shops.

William

[William]

Here is some more info about the new Glenfarclas Family Casks:

Glenfarclas launches The Family Casks
- A unique collection of 43 Single Cask whiskies, with one for each year from 1952 to 1994

Speyside, September 2007 - Family owned Glenfarclas Distillery formally launched The Family Casks, an exclusive collection of 43 vintage dated Single Cask Highland Malt Scotch Whiskies, at the Caledonian Club, London, on the 13th September 2007.

The Glenfarclas Distillery, with over 52000 casks currently maturing in its traditional dunnage warehouses, is in the enviable position of having stock in cask from every year from 1952 to the current day. The Family Casks is a collection of the best single casks from the distillery's warehouses, bottled at cask strength and at natural colour. The collection comprises 43 different bottlings, with one for each year from 1952 to 1994. The Family Casks are unique there is no other known collection of old and rare whiskies that covers 43 consecutive years from the same distillery.

Glenfarclas is renowned for producing Single Malt in a traditional Speyside style with a heavy sherry influence. Sherry casks are well represented within the collection. As John L.S. Grant, Chairman and 5th generation of the family that own and manage Glenfarclas, explained, "Good wood is vital in maturation, and the resulting richness and sweetness from sherry casks is delightful'.

Unlike mainstream bottlings, which are normally offered at a reduced strength of 40% vol., The Family Casks have been bottled at cask strength. During maturation the strength of the whisky reduces slowly, thanks to "the angel's share'. Cask strength is the natural strength after maturation, hence each bottle in the collection is presented at a different strength, varying from 46.0% vol. for Cask 4913 from 1961 to 65.1% vol. for Cask 1316 from 1968. Glenfarclas was the first to market a cask strength whisky, with the Glenfarclas "105' at 60% vol. in 1968.

The Family Casks have also been bottled at natural colour, with the bespoke clear flint bottle, and oak gift box, designed to highlight the variety of colours within the collection. Accompanying each
bottle is a booklet with a history of the distillery, written by John L.S. Grant, and tasting notes prepared by George S. Grant, Brand Ambassador, and the 6th generation of the family.

At the remarkable tasting guests were first introduced, by John L.S. Grant, to a selection from the range, with one dram from each of the five decades represented. As Mr Grant explained "By tasting a selection of whiskies from The Family Casks, one is able to explore not only the differences between the casks, but the distillery, and my family's history'. After the formal tasting guests were invited to sample a selection of the other 38 whiskies from the collection. Not surprisingly, many of those younger than 56 chose to sample Glenfarclas distilled during the year of their birth. As Robert Ransom, Director of Sales & Marketing, observed, "If you know anyone who was born, or married, in the last 55 years, a bottle from The Family Casks collection makes an ideal present for them!'.

Glenfarclas, which was named Distiller of the Year in 2006 by Whisky Magazine, focus on Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, with a core range which includes the 10 Years Old, 15 Years Old, 21 Years Old, 25 Years Old, 30 Years Old and the "105' Cask strength. The Family Casks is the first new release of Glenfarclas in the UK, since the 50 Years Old in 2005. As George S. Grant commented, "To launch 43 single casks at once must be a first. It has been a big project for us, and almost everybody in the company has been involved with this release. We have however had a lot of fun, looking through our warehouses to select a cask from each year for The Family Casks was particularly enjoyable'.

The Family Casks have been offered to Glenfarclas' network of distributors across Europe, Asia and Canada, including sole UK distributor Pol Roger Ltd. Interest in the collection has been intense, with two bars quick to order a complete set of 43 bottles; Bar Nemo in Tokyo, and closer to home, The Mash Tun in Aberlour. Prices for The Family Casks vary from £80 for the 1994 to £1145 for the 1952 at the distillery's visitor centre.

[islayonspey]

[Big Mac]

Yes i agree Rene, what a story, I would have loved to have been at that tasting, I am a big Glenfarclas fan and I will definitely be give a couple of the bottles a try but i doubt it will be the 1952 bottle as it is a little out of my price range.

Mac

[Mark]

Thanks for the news William, this is the first i have heard of these bottlings.

You must have an inside source at Glenfarclas as i cant even see any mention of the new Family Cask bottlings at the Glenfarclas website.

Mark

[William]

[John]

The starting price of £80 for the 1994 seems a little high but i must say i have heard that it is well worth the money.

John

[Smoky]

[Mad Mac]

I see The Whisky Exchange now have the complete Family Casks range in stock.

I am very tempted with the complete set of Glenfarclas Family Cask for only £14500.

Also noticed the 1994 bottling is £115 at The Whisky Exchange

Mac

[islayonspey]

[Pedorstroika]

Last week I was in Scotland, Speyside and one of the lucky ones to be at Glenfarclas for the lottery tasting.
And it was a good lottery as we could try the 1966. 1972, 1974, 1981 and 1990 Family Cask ones.

They were all very nice, but the best in my book was the 1981.
My brother in law did not agree and his favorite was the 1966, while my father liked the 1990 best. There's nothing like taste

This tasting made me curious about the other Family casks, but for now (back in Holland) I'm very happy with the 1981 thats in my cabinet screaming "Open me, open me!!"
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I'm not a collector, I'm a drinker!

[Charlie]

I have had a few from the family cask range the best i tasted was the 1968

Charlie

[Iain Mac]

Aye, my frau has just visited Glenfarclas with the group she's guiding and they got to taste the family product. I'm not familiar with it but apparently it's good.

Now, there's work for you...
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Slainte mhath - a h-uile la a chi is nach fhaic.
http://tocasaid.blogspot.com/

[Big Mac]

Now that is a good job Iain, i hope she brought some samples home for you.

Mac

[DukeofSandwich]

I tried the 1955 at WhiskyFest in San Francisco last year, very tasty. Too bad the old ones are so pricey.
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L.A. Whiskey Society
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