Sherry Cask 20 years

[Lucas80]

Hi,

I'm a new registered in this forum. Happy to be with you.

I always drink Glenfarclas 15

Now I thought to buy an older bottle, 21 or 25 years, but someone tell me there isn't much different from Farclas 15 and 21/25, they just more expensive .

So if I want to better what do you advice???

I see

Glendronach 21
GlenDronach 18 Year Old 1995 (Single Cask 3025) - Batch 10"

Other advice?????

[Brummie]

Hi Lucas80 and welcome to the SMW forum.

Each expression from Glenfarclas and indeed any distillery is different. The Glenfarlcas 15 is excellent, the 21 and 25 is similar in style but the extra maturity makes them quite different. Whether you think the extra cost you pay for the extra maturity and rarity of the whisky is worth it, only you can say. Personally i would say it is worth it. My choice would be the Glenfarclas 25.

Glendronach is another excellent sherried style whisky and the 21 year is superb and a very good price and the Glendronach single cask bottlings have been superb, i havent tried the new batch 10 18 year old you mention but i would be confident that it would be excellent.

[opelfruit]

I've had the farclas bottles you've listed. The older ones are "smoother" (hate that word) and you do get the age, bit more rancio etc. Personally of the 3 I prefer the 15. Not sure it it's the extra 3% abv or whatever but I just get more out of it.

Incidetally, the 105 is my favourite.


Regarding GlenDronach;

I've only had their single casks and they are very good, obviously cask strength and single cask so it's hard to compare to a mass vatting like the Glenfarclas core range.

If you were going to go for an age stated expressions (core) rather than the single cask you may be worth going for the 15 yr old.....and here's why: -

GlenDronach had a gap in production between 1996 and 2001, so some of their stuff is a lot older (due to SWA rules on declaring age). So if you get a bottle of 15year old that was bottled in 2014 then it will be a minimum of 19 years old....not 15.

If you buy a bottle of 21year old bottled in 2014 it'll be minimum 21 years old.

Money wise, the 15yo is the better bet

And don't be sold on the basis that "if I want to do better I'll get older". That's *. Age has little to do with quality and everything to do with rarity/demand/price.





I'd give the GlenDronacha try, any are great. Just watch the single casks as they can very a lot depending on how good the cask was. If you've not had one before though then get one, they are usually pretty solid (if not a bit pricey these days)
_________________
"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

[Lucas80]

Ok, for Glenfarclas 15 - 21/25.

But now:

1 - Glenfarclas 21/25 vs Glendronach 21. What do you think???

2 - Other sherried??? Aberlour??? Blevenie??? Others???

[opelfruit]

[Alexppp]

I would also recommend the Glendronach 15 above anything else. As opelfruit said, a new bottle now will in fact contain 18/19 year-old whisky.

As for Glenfarclas, the 21 year-old is a lot more elegant than the bold 15, so it depends what you're looking for. For a big, old-fashioned heavily sherried whisky I'd go for the Glendronach 15. For something different, by all means go for an older Glenfarclas, they're all excellent, just different to the 15.

[Lucas80]

I found:

http://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/glendronach-15-year-old-revival-whisky/?srh=1

and

http://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/glendronach-15-year-old-tawny-port-cask-finish-collection-whisky/?srh=1

both are 18y old???

[Kava]

[opelfruit]

[Big Mac]

Welcome to the forum Lucas80. I am not sure of the availablity of the Glenfarclas 17 where you are but personally i would rate it above the Glenfarcles 21 and 25.

Kava makes a few good suggestions which i would 2nd:

[Diademo]

Lucas,
Our friends have all valid points here but maybe is better to compare them by yourself. Most mentioned bottles from GlenDronach and Glenfarclas are part of their core range and you can easily obtain them as samples or miniatures from most on-line retailers (including TWE and MoM). Try them and make your own decision - but it will be the hard one: they are all excellent! 

Regarding GlenDronach Single Cask Bottlings I would suggest you to become first familiar with their core range (15-18-21 YO) and then try them.

[Lucas80]

Ok, thanks very much.
I'll start with Glendronach 15 an I'll get some sample of others.

[Lucas80]

Someone above mentioned Glenfarclas 105. What do you think of this full proof vs Glenfarclas 15???

I always thougth ten years it's too young for full proof. But many people like it.

[Craven]

[Lucas80]

Ok, thank you.