Beverage of the Week (B.O.W)

Glenfarclas, "valley of the green grassland" is one of Speyside's and Scotland's greatest distilleries. It is one of the very few truly independent distillers having been owned and operated by the Grant family since 1865. (The Glenfarclas distillery was founded in 1836.) Their malt Whiskies are long loved by Scotch Whisky connoisseurs but somehow scandalously unfamiliar to many US consumers; this is changing fast.

Glenfarclas is located nearly a mile from the River Spey near the village of Marypark (directly up the road from two famous neighbors Aberlour and Macallan). Glenfarclas sources its water from a burn flowing from the Ben Rinnes that rises just beyond the rolling heather covered hills that protect the distillery's northwest side.

If you are visiting Scotch Whisky country we strongly recommend a stop at Glenfarclas as their visitor center is second to none and the setting is certainly postcard material.

The malts, available in a wide choice of ages and strengths, are quite sturdy and complex with a complimentary dose of sweet Sherry. Glenfarclas ages their whiskies in Sherry butts or neutral casks steering away from Bourbon casks. The rich color of their malts is 100% natural. We love a good dram of Glenfarclas anytime but the rich and warming quality of this malt is a frequent winter craving.

Among Glenfarclas’ portfolio of seven expressions, the 17 year old has always been a favorite. For us it represents the ideal “sweet-spot” in the age range being mature enough to show the complex nuances associated with the best single malts with the balance of youthful flavors. An open bottle of Glanfarclas 17 in our office is in great danger of extinction.