GLENFARCLES 190TH ANNIVERSARY

190 years of the Grant family

Glenfarclas sits at the foot of Ben Rinnes in the heart of Speyside. It was licensed to distil in 1836, and the Grant family has owned it since 1865, when John Grant bought the farm and distillery for £511 19s. Six generations later, Glenfarclas is still family-owned, which is rare in an industry now dominated by big drinks groups.

In 2026 the distillery celebrated its 190th birthday with a special release.

The Anniversary Trilogy

Glenfarclas 190 is the final chapter in a three-part series of anniversary bottlings that began with Glenfarclas 175 and continued with Glenfarclas 185. Each marked another milestone in the distillery's history.

78 casks, five decades

Glenfarclas 190 was put together by distillery manager Callum Fraser and managing director Douglas Belford, who hand-selected 78 casks from the distillery's warehouses and married them together. The spirit comes from five decades: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Each decade adds something different:

• The 1970s casks bring fruitier notes
• The 1980s and 1990s casks add rich, sherried depth
• The 2000s casks contribute toffee and caramel

Fraser said it was all done by hand "without the technology many modern distilleries rely on". Glenfarclas is famous for maturing its whisky in sherry casks sourced from a family-run bodega in Jerez, Spain, and for distilling in direct-fired stills, heated by a flame underneath rather than by steam.

90 proof, the old way

Glenfarclas 190 is bottled at 51.4% ABV, which is exactly 90 British proof. That is the strength the distillery used for the first 154 years of its history. It is non-chill filtered and has no added colouring.

The bottle

The release was announced on 28 July 2026, with bottles arriving in the UK and international markets from August 2026. About 15,000 bottles were made worldwide, and the UK price was around £95. The bespoke packaging is inspired by the distillery's labels from past decades.

At the launch, chairman John Grant OBE called celebrating 190 years of distilling "a proud moment".

In the glass

• Nose and palate: green apple, sherry sweetness and spicy Christmas cake, with a smooth, rich, velvety mouthfeel
• Finish: long, with dark chocolate and fresh tobacco

New to picking out flavours like these? Our guide on how to taste whisky like a pro walks you through nose, palate and finish step by step.

More from the Vault

See who has already taken home a rare bottle on our winners list, or browse all of our live whisky competitions for the next Speyside prize. You can also win a free bottle every month, and our FAQs explain how entries, draws and free postal entry work.