The family-owned Speyside distillery of Glenfarclas is commemorating its 190th anniversary this year. This special single malt, Glenfarclas 190, is a limited edition whisky that celebrates this. It features spirits distilled over the last five decades. The ex-sherry casks for the bottling were selected by Callum Fraser, Distillery Manager at Glenfarclas, and Douglas Belford, Managing Director. These were sourced via a long standing relationship with a family-owned bodega in Jerez, Spain.
Glenfarclas was founded in 1836 by John S. Grant on the site of an illegal distillery dating from the late 1790s. It is located near the village of Ballindalloch in the heart of the Speyside region. Glenfarclas has the largest stills of any distillery in Speyside and an annual production capacity of 3.5 million litres. The majority is released as single malt and has a worldwide fan base. The main markets are southern Europe, America, the UK and the Far East. Sales in 2022 topped 2.5 million bottles in a year for the first time.
Glenfarclas has some of the oldest maturing stocks in Scotland due to the consistency of family ownership. The distillery remains under the stewardship of the Grant family today. This enables Glenfarclas to regularly releases whiskies of extreme age including the legendary Family Casks series, which has vintages ranging from the early 1950s to early 2010s.
Celebrating 190 years of distilling at Glenfarclas is a proud moment. As custodians for six generations, our commitment to producing the finest single malt whiskies using traditional methods remains steadfast.
John Grant OBE | Chairman of Glenfarclas.
Glenfarclas 190 is released at 51.4% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is limited to just 15,000 bottles. These will be available in selected global markets following an initial release through specialist retailers in the UK. Each bottle will cost £95.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is deep coppery amber and the nose is rich, sweet and fruity. Aromas of raisin, sultana and candied orange peel are quickly joined by further fruitiness in the form of apricot jam and a hint of dried pineapple. Extra sweetness is added with aromas of toffee, caramel and molasses, plus some milk chocolate. A wisp of earthy tobacco leaf and a pinch of baking spice add further depth.
On the palate this whisky is decadent and luxurious in feel. It wraps around the taste buds superbly. Sweet toffee and caramel rise first this time and these notes are joined by some milky coffee and cocoa powder. The fruity characteristics are on several layers, as demonstrated on the nose. First comes fresh, juicy red apple and this is followed by the dried fruit – raisin, sultana, candied orange and a hint of fig. Finally comes the extra sweet fruit – think of tinned peaches and dried pineapple and mango.
Some malty notes sits in the background and combines superbly with a milk chocolate note. Then comes golden syrup, a hint of molasses or black treacle and that wisp of tobacco leaf from the nose. This develops into something reminiscent of old cigar box with time. Towards the end some oak tannins begin to grip and are accentuated by an elegant set of warming backing spice – imagine fresh gingerbread, cinnamon stick, clove nutmeg, mace and a hint of cassia.
The finish is long and full of depth. The sweet elements and fruity characteristics linger well beyond expectations and when they do begin to fade, then the malt and chocolate take hold. Finally, it is the delicious and elegant warming spices and oaky tannins that remain. These have a drying and mouthwatering quality that draws the finish out further.
What’s The Verdict?
This is a fabulous whisky and one that shows what sympathetic maturation in ex-sherry casks can achieve. This is no ‘sherry bomb’ and is much classier and elegant than that. Some of the whisky included was distilled in the 1970s and 1980s, and they add incredible depth and flavour. The whisky feels like a fitting tribute to Glenfarclas’ special anniversary, but also to what the distillery and Grant family are great at. Do not be surprised if this is in our Top 10 Whiskies of 2026 when the time comes.
