Concluding a short vertical tasting of Glenfarclas is a look at their 21-year-old expression.  Recapping, I liked the bright fruitiness of 12-year-old Glenfarclas, but was blown away by the complexity and robustness of Glenfarclas 17-year-old.  At 21 years old, this would be the oldest Scotch I’ve tasted.  Glenfarclas has a 25, 30 and even 40 year old expression in their lineup.  I’d love to sample those one day.

On the nose, the darker fruits outweigh the fresh fruit notes.  It smells less sweet compared to the 17-year-old.  Dry oak, smoke and vanilla are more present.  There are also hints of nuts and citrus.  Taste-wise, dried fruits are at the forefront, followed by lots of berries, toffee and vanilla.  Dried oak starts to present itself towards the end of the palate into the dry and slightly smoky finish.

The Glenfarclas 21-year-old is outstanding.  It is a bit more balanced in terms of flavors, with no one note dominating the flavor profile.  The addition of a smoky note makes things a bit interesting.  However, this expression isn’t as big and robust as its 17-year-old younger sibling.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  This expression of Glenfarclas isn’t better than any of the others, it’s just different.  It’s more mature, a bit mellowed and much more elegant.  Spend some time with a glass.  There is lots to discover here.  Very nice, and recommended.  Especially at the SRP of $129.99.