2014 Glenfarclas Single Cask #51 for Nicks Wine Merchants 8 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

160 bottles available exclusively via Nicks Wine Merchants.

If you ever wondered what the fuss over Glenfarclas' Family casks was all about but couldn't afford to find out, don't hesitate to start here. As much as we'd like to imagine that this whisky will be enjoyed amongst friends, it has all the hallmarks of a collectable: a tiny outturn from a distillery with pedigree, first-rate liquid and a bespoke label. You might drink one and try to keep the other, but our bet is the second bottle is going to prove too tempting. In fact, you could not do much better from any of the distillery's neighbours at this age: Cask #51 buries young Macallan or Glendronach and is almost dripping with sherry, kicking off with juicy dried apricots, dried prunes, raisin cake and cinnamon over hints of chocolate oranges in a caramel setting, wrapped up in a mid palate succulence that's pure and sustained while showing extraordinary balance and mouthfeel. The malt and sherry sweetness gently bitters as the sugars wear off and spices enter. Add water, and the entire profile remains beautifully defined. It's young Speyside malt showing off in an audacious fashion that sets it apart from Glenfarclas' official releases. Distilled in 2014 and filled into a first-fill Sherry hogshead before decanting in November 2022, 160 bottles are available for those fortunate enough to get their hands on one. Anybody who knows about 'AREA 51' from UFO folklore will understand the cryptic label reference - an alien is jealously guarding a cask (word has got around, Glenfarclas make some of the best whisky in the galaxy!) 59.8% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.