A Glenfarclas Double
The Rag is getting closer, month by month, to hosting George Grant in person. The son and heir to the Glenfarclas distillery joined five lucky members for lunch in September via an Internet connection from Speyside. Then in November, 20 members shared some further screen time with him for an hour while tasting Glenfarclas whisky that was ten, 15, 21 and 25 years old when bottled, as well as a glass of “105”, to give proceedings a 60% proof finale.
Next up, in the New Year when circumstances allow, George will join members for a lunch on St. James’s Square. Completing the trilogy already stands to be one of the high points of 2021.
For now, George Grant’s two virtual visits have been, themselves, a pleasure to savour. Lunch was restricted by the Rule of Six to just five especially-blessed Members. Along with, by general agreement, some very fine lamb, a consensus emerged that the Glenfarclas 21-year-old was the standout alongside a 15-yer-old and 25-year-old that would both demand the highest commendation in their own right. Along with these three whiskies, George shared some of his family’s near 150-year, plus history at Glenfarclas and also his insider’s view of the whisky business.
George confided to members ahead of the November tasting that the occasion was his 55th on Zoom. Stories of the distillery were no less fresh for this. Moreover, the five whiskies to enjoy were transportive taking all to Scotland’s east coast. George surprised some members by advising them that Germany was one of Glenfarclas’ best markets. The key to this was, he explained, that whisky makers must carry on labels if any caramel or colouring has been added to bottles. The absence of these in Glenfarclas means locals there rightly consider the whisky to be of purer and consequently an altogether higher calling.
If Glenfarclas has a solid foothold in Germany, the whisky is equally well dug in at the Army & Navy ahead of when George Grant can finally join members for what will represent the third and final leg in this trilogy. Suffice to say, the first two were hugely welcome and much-appreciated respite to the year’s demanding circumstances.
To find out more about Glenfarclas, please visit their website.