valley of green grass. It is located in the middle of a meadow at the foot of Ben Lynes, and until the 1980s, the distillery operated the farm together.
In Scottish place names, glen means valley. For a whisky whose name means “valley of green grass,” the style is notably weighty.
In 1981, the distillery switched to steam heating like other distilleries. The resulting spirit became lighter, so the distillery soon reversed the change. Gas flames still heat the base of each pot directly.
The broad stills offer relatively less copper contact for their charge than a narrow design, helping Glenfarclas retain a robust, substantial spirit.
Most Scotch stills use internal steam coils. Glenfarclas keeps direct firing, applying strong heat beneath the copper pot.
Chains rotate across the heated base to stop solids sticking and burning. The device makes traditional direct firing practical.
The swelling below the neck changes the vapour’s speed and encourages some reflux while leaving the spirit’s weight intact.
The resulting spirit has enough body to remain recognisable after many years in active oak.
Sherry-seasoned oak adds dried fruit, nuts and spice, while the weight of the new make prevents the cask from becoming the whole story.
Based on Glenfarclas 15.
The sherry shaft has grown almost to the end and is flanked by oak. It is rare to see a shape that leans upward this much.
Sherry casks alone do not produce this flavor. If a light spirit is left in a dark cask for a long time, the woody aroma may cover the spirit. Because it is a heavy spirit made over direct fire, the taste of malt remains even after long maturation.
The direction resembles Dalmore, but this one goes one step further. Oak and malt fill the place where the citrus was squeezed.
Glenfarclas stands at Ballindalloch, beneath Ben Rinnes. Aberlour lies a short distance to the north, and both draw water from the same mountain.
It was licensed in 1836 and has been owned by the same family for six generations since 1865. It is one of the few remaining distilleries that has not been taken over by a large drinks group, and its insistence on direct fire is not unrelated to its independence. This is because steam heating is better in terms of efficiency.
Sherry casks are hand-picked every year from a bodega in Spain. This policy was not changed even as the price of sherry casks continued to rise, so this name is often associated with sherry.
The meaning of both pieces is clear. Valleys and grasslands, so the name is the scenery of the place.