More than 40 years after the first bottling of Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength, family owned and managed J. & G. Grant are proud to release the new presentation for the distillery’s legendary expression in the 700ml bottle format. The new presentation incorporates a bespoke bottle and contemporary repeat 105 pattern.

In 1968 George S. Grant, fourth generation of the owning family, bottled a single cask straight from the warehouse, and sent the bottles to family and friends as Christmas gifts. By chance the strength of the cask George S. Grant selected was ‘105’ British Proof, and along with the name of the distillery, this was all the information he detailed on the hand written label. By the end of January the recipients of the gifts requested further bottles, hence Glenfarclas ‘105’, the first commercially available cask strength whisky of the modern age was born. The name refers to the strength in the British Proof system, equivalent to 60% alcohol by volume.

The new packaging builds on the 105’s cult status, by giving the expression a stronger identity of its own. Whilst the presentation has given the 105 a contemporary twist, the company continue to produce Glenfarclas 105 in the same traditional manner, by selecting some of the finest casks from the distillery’s warehouses, and vatting them together to give a constant 60% vol., without adding water. George Grant, Director of Sales and sixth generation, added, ‘The 105 has a great history, and this new presentation gives the 105 a great future’.

To mark the 125th Annual Show of the Dufftown Horticultural Society, in conjunction with the society, we are offering a bottled of Glenfarclas 40 Years Old Scottish Classic, as a raffle prize.

The Dufftown Horticultural Society was originally established as the Dufftown Horticultural, Dairy and Industrial Society in 1872, and the Show has become one of the main events in Dufftown each summer. This year the extended show will run over the 11th and 12th of September in the Memorial Hall Dufftown, and will showcase members produce across more than 300 different categories, including the Rotary Shield prize for the Best Hanging Basket in the burgh of Dufftown.

Glenfarclas 40 Years Old Scottish Classic, is a limited edition of 600 bottles, with 30 different label designs inspired by works of Scottish Literature. The prize, bottle number 179, features a label inspired by Robert Burns’ work ‘The Jolly Beggars’. The whisky has been described by whisky journalist Jim Murray as ‘Quite outstanding for its age’.

When George Grant, Director of Sales for Glenfarclas, gave the prize to Arthur Rugg, Show Manager, an extra twist came to light. Arthur Rugg installed the wooden panelling from the Empress of Australia in the Glenfarclas visitor centre in 1973, which continues to be admired by the distillery’s many visitors today.

Commenting on the donation, George Grant, said, ‘Like the Dufftown Horticultural Society, we to have a long history, and we hope this prize will help the show prosper long into the future’. As John Fleming, Hon. Secretary & Treasurer explained, ‘It’s a great prize, spend £1 on a raffle ticket and you could win a bottle worth £1500.’

Raffle tickets will be available during the show, with the draw on the 12th of September. In advance, tickets are available from Costcutter in Dufftown and The Whisky Shop Dufftown, who are also offering tickets on line.

Glenfarclas has scooped the Winestate 2010 Single Malt Whisky Tasting receiving Five Stars and Top in Category Ratings for the Glenfarclas 15 Years Old and Glenfarclas 30 Years Old. Winestate is Australia's oldest wine publication, and in their Whiskies of the World tasting for the August issue, the independent expert panel assessed each whisky blind in controlled conditions.

In addition to the awards for the 15 Years Old and 30 Years Old, the consistency across the Glenfarclas range was also rewarded by the Winestate expert panel awarding Four and Half stars to the Glenfarclas 105, 21 Years Old and 25 Years Old, and Four stars to the Glenfarclas 10 Years Old and Glenfarclas 12 Years Old.

 Glenfarclas is distiributed in Australia by Angove Family Wine Makers.

Whisky Festivals and Glenfarclas events

3rd & 4th September 2010
Cöpenicker Whiskyherbst, Germany

4th September 2010
Whiskymessen, Copenhagen

27th September 2010
3.30PM Glenfarclas tasting in Dufftown for the Autumn Speyside Whisky Festival

30th September to 2nd October and 7th to 9th October 2010
Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival, Sweden

1st to 3rd October 2010
Potstill Festival, The Netherlands