🥃 Glenfarclas
Single malt Scotch from Ballindalloch in Speyside: licence 1836, Grant family since 1865, direct-fired stills, mostly ex-sherry casks; ages from 8 to 40 years.
Glenfarclas is a Speyside single malt Scotch from Ballindalloch, and one of the few Scottish distilleries still owned by the family that bought it. The Grant family runs it through J & G Grant. According to sources, the licence to distil here went to tenant Robert Hay in 1836, and the Grants bought the distillery in 1865.
History. Claims about the founding year vary, because distilling on the farm, according to Difford's Guide, may have happened before the official licence. John Grant bought the distillery on 8 June 1865, and six generations of the family have run it since.
How it is made. The distillery keeps direct-fired copper stills, which are now rare: Difford's Guide adds that an attempt to switch to indirect heating in 1980 was reversed after three weeks. The whisky matures mainly in former sherry casks in damp, low dunnage warehouses. The packaging is plain, aimed at people who drink whisky rather than collect it.
Range. Ages run from 8 to 40 years. The 105 is a strong cask-strength version, and the Family Cask series, launched in 2007, offers single casks from individual years between 1952 and 1994, though the oldest have already sold out.
Why it matters to you. Single malt means whisky from one distillery made from malted barley, and the age on the label is the age of the youngest whisky in the bottle. The 105 and Family Cask versions differ in strength from the standard bottlings, so read the label. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1836 (licence to Robert Hay); from 1865 the Grant family (Ballindalloch, Speyside) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Speyside) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | malted barley; water |
| Distillation method | twice, copper stills with direct-fired heating |
| Cask type | mainly former sherry casks, dunnage warehouses |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law; versions from 8 to 40 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV by law; 105 is cask strength |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Glenfarclas → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Clynelish, 🥃 Clynelish, 🥃 Isle of Jura, 🥃 Isle of Jura, 🥃 Aberlour, 🥃 Aberlour, 🥃 Glen Moray, 🥃 Glen Moray, 🥃 Benromach, 🥃 GlenAllachie
Frequently asked questions
Is Glenfarclas owned by a large corporation?
No. According to Whiskypedia and Difford's Guide, it is a family company, J & G Grant, now run by the sixth generation of the family.
How are the Glenfarclas stills heated?
The stills are heated by an open flame rather than steam. This is rare for modern distilleries; Glenfarclas keeps it.
Is the 105 sold in the UK and the US with the same strength?
The 105 is a cask-strength version, bottled without dilution to a standard strength. Check the label for the exact ABV, which on US labels may also be shown as proof.
What does UK law say about a Speyside single malt like this?
It must be matured in oak for at least three years under UK rules, and a single malt comes from one distillery.
What goes well with a sherry-cask malt?
Dark chocolate or dried fruit; serve neat or with a few drops of water.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
Similar
🥃 Tamdhu · 🥃 Tamnavulin · 🥃 Benrinnes · 🥃 Dailuaine · 🥃 Knockdhu · 🥃 The GlenDronach
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): J&G Grant (Glenfarclas: Robert Hay 1836, John Grant 1865, six generations, direct-fired stills, ex-sherry casks, Family Casks from 2007)
- Difford's Guide: Glenfarclas Distillery (J&G Grant) (est. 1836, family owned, direct-fired stills, sherry casks, dunnage warehouses, range)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)