Glenfarclas 2000 24 Year Old Millenium Cask No 12 Generations Series No 3
Pol Roger Portfolio has released the third in its series of limited-edition decanter bottlings.
The Story of The Millennium Cask
Starting in 2021, Peter Donnelly, Director at Pol Roger Portfolio and Keeper of the Quaich, has chosen five whiskies as part of a collection to celebrate the tradition and innovation under the stewardship of the Grant Family.
The first release, a 25-Year-Old expression, showcased the classic sherry cask informed profile for which Glenfarclas is renowned: complex yet refined, with welcoming aromas of sherried fruit, oak and Christmas spices. This was bottled at Cask Strength.
For the second iteration, Glenfarclas has reached deep into its warehouses to reveal a bottling that typifies its innovation and originality. In the 1960s, under the stewardship of fourth generation George Grant, the distillery experimented with different types of cask in order to arrive at a distinctive Glenfarclas style. Trying samples of Oloroso, Madeira, Port and others, it was decided that ex-Oloroso Sherry casks from Bodega Jose y Miguel Martin was the way forward, and to this day the distillery is famous for its use of exclusively ex-Oloroso casks for its core range of whiskies. However, there remained at the distillery the occasional Port cask, quietly maturing in the long Glenfarclas dunnage warehouses. This 20-Year-Old Port Pipe was released in 2023. This was a major success.
Number 3 in the series is something truly unique. On the 1st January 2000, the new Millennium, The Grant Family and staff, selected only a few casks to be filled with the first spirit of the New Year. As far as we are aware, this is the only time this has happened. The cask chosen was a First Fill Sherry Butt from Jose y Miguel Martin.
Only 600 of these decanters were filled with this precious whisky, bottled at 47.4 ABV and at natural colour. This 24-year-old whisky has been bottled from a Single Sherry Butt and is truly a rarity. It was the 12th cask to be filled on 1st January 2000 by the Grant Family. The distilling knowledge of five generation combines with a fresh take on the Glenfarclas collection to produce a whisky that is wholly unique and absolutely exquisite. A true piece of Liquid History.
Tasting Note
Nose: The Sherry aromas come though immediately. Nutty, sweet, cognac vapours. The woody notes are released in the glass, all spice, cinnamon, nutmeg with hints of fresh Saville oranges. A true experience of Christmas in a glass.
Palate: The sherry again is the main player. Layers of Seville oranges dipped in sweet dark chocolate, with dark fruits dancing around the palate, releasing a wonderful balance of the alcohol and the old wood, a true marriage, made at Glenfarclas
Finish: Extremely long and lingering finish that exceeds way beyond the abv. The oak is dominant here, dry and almost bitter. This is less chocolate orange and more dark cocoa and less sweet baking spices as there is on the nose.