Last week I was sent a sample from The Whisky Exchange for their Black Friday whisky. There was not much information given except the age and the abv, and throughout the week we got morsels of information fed by the guys at The Whisky Exchange to keep us interested. Their request was simple: Don’t talk about it until Friday the 24th, and then put up a review.

Of course, I wouldn’t be me if I did that in time, so here I am posting a review of a whisky that was released about two hours ago and sold out in fifteen minutes. FIFTEEN minutes.

Oh, and the info is that it’s a 16 year old, cask strength, sherry matured whisky from a Speyside, family owned distillery. I don’t think I have to tell you that is jargon for Glenfarclas.

Sniff:
It’s incredibly aromatic with lots of scents coming from the glass, even without actually sniffing it. It leads on Oloroso or a similar sherry, with slightly funky and yeasty scents. I’d almost say the cask wasn’t emptied properly before they put the spirit in… Lots of apricots and dried pear, quite some oak and charcoal.

Sip:
Again, the sherry is very present, but in a very ‘real sherry’ way instead of just sweetness and fruit. Funky and yeasty, with oak. Rather strong at first and very dry. The apricots are the dominating fruit.

Swallow:
The finish intensifies a little bit at first, before mellowing out slightly. Lots of sherry again, again like there is actual sherry in this whisky. It’s rich and fruity. Also, the yeastiness is slightly different now. More like Brettanomyces like in Orval beers.

Have I told you guys I love Orval beers, and those funky, yeasty flavors? No? Well, I do. Also, the way the sherry behaves in this whisky is incredibly awesome, with it being very different than anything I’ve come across lately.

A truly unique dram, and a great pick by the guys at The Whisky Exchange. A shame it sold out so quickly…

Also, not a surprise it did, since you don’t come across a 16 year old sherried single cask whisky for only 60 quid…

89/100

Black Friday 16yo, 54%, Glenfarclas, The Whisky Exchange

Thanks to TWE for sending a sample! It’s another great one!