Glenfarclas 10 Year

Glenfarclas
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged 10 Years
40% ABV (80 proof)
~$40 (sample provided)

Color: gold

Smell: very approachable - classic "sweet Scotch" smells. Lots of honey and nougat, mild nuttiness, toasted cereal grains, a hint of lemon peel, and just a kiss of smoke. There's enough going on in the secondary aromas to balance the sweetness to a degree, though this remains a very sweet-smelling whisky.

Taste: mild honeyed sweetness on entry with a creamy mouthfeel. The midpalate brings in a very slight toasted nuttiness and kiss of smoke that persist somewhat into the finish, but the honeyed sweetness is the main note throughout. It's saccharine but not unpleasant.

Overall: This is an unobjectionable and smooth-sipping Scotch that really pushes toward the sweeter side. It slides right down. That said, there's not a huge depth of flavor or really much to appreciate aside from its drinkability. I'll be very interested to try the older bottles (reviews coming soon) to see what additional barrel time imparts in terms of flavor. "B-/B" for me.