Glenfarclas 12 Year Old – 70cl

If the 10 is the introduction, the 12 is where Glenfarclas starts to show its hand — two more years in Oloroso and a bump to 43% give it noticeably more grip and glow.

Glenfarclas sits at the foot of Ben Rinnes in the heart of Speyside, family-owned by the Grants and matured entirely in sherry wood. The direct-fired stills and generous Oloroso ageing are the house calling cards, and this twelve-year-old has long been held up as one of the best-value sherried malts in Scotland. It's the bottle a lot of Speyside devotees quietly reach for again and again.

On the nose it can seem deceptively light at first — lemon, green apple, a floral lift — before the Oloroso arrives with dried figs, raisins and roasted hazelnut. The palate is soft and malty with orange marmalade, then nutmeg, cinnamon and white pepper, toffee and a thread of milk chocolate underneath. The finish is medium-long and pleasingly dry, closing on dark chocolate, orange zest and oak spice.

It earns its keep — more complex than the 10 without straying into occasion-only territory. This is the everyday sherry malt I'd point a curious drinker towards, and the sort of bottle that never seems to last long once opened.

How to Serve

Neat in a tulip or Glencairn, room temperature. A splash of water softens the arrival and coaxes out the raisin and spice; it takes water well.

Where to Drink It

The Connaught Bar in Mayfair for real polish. Boisdale for the Scotch range and atmosphere. Black Rock in Shoreditch if you want to nerd out over malt.

Food Pairings

Roasted almonds are a lovely, simple match for the nutty Oloroso side. For something more substantial, a plate of cured ham or a wedge of aged cheese does it real justice.