Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glenfarclas 105 is a 60% ABV (120 proof), 750mL cask strength single malt Scotch whisky from Ballindalloch, at the foot of Ben Rinnes in Scotland. Bottled undiluted at natural strength, it is the whisky that started the cask strength category — first poured in 1968, when George S. Grant sent it to family and friends as a Christmas gift before releasing it commercially. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 60% (120 proof — "105" in old British proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: No age statement
- Origin: Ballindalloch, Speyside, Scotland
- Style: Cask strength single malt, bottled undiluted
- House: Glenfarclas — family-owned by J&G Grant since 1865
The First Cask Strength Single Malt
When George S. Grant filled bottles straight from the cask as Christmas gifts in 1968, nobody was selling cask strength single malt — the 105 effectively invented the style drinkers now take for granted. It comes from a distillery the Grant family has run since John Grant bought it in 1865: six direct-fired stills, the largest on Speyside, and dunnage warehouses stacked with sherried malt. Compare it across our Scotch whisky shelf, browse the wider whisky range, or see the distillery on the Glenfarclas vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Oak, apple and pear with dark toffee. Palate: Dry, spicy and full of sherried fruit. Finish: Smooth and warming with a light smokiness.
How to Enjoy
Neat first to meet it at full strength, then with a teaspoon of water to open the sherried fruit — it rewards patience in the glass.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Glenfarclas 105? The name is its strength in old British proof: 105 British proof equals 60% ABV (120 in US proof).
How old is Glenfarclas 105? It carries no age statement — it is a cask strength blend of the distillery's sherried malts, bottled for power and flavour rather than a stated year count.
Who makes Glenfarclas? J&G Grant, the Grant family, who have owned the Ballindalloch distillery since 1865 — one of Scotland's few remaining family-owned distilleries.
The original cask strength malt, still at full power — order Glenfarclas 105 online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.