Glenfarclas 21 Year Old Official for Edward Giaccione 43%

I was once again made to reconsider my preferences regarding old bottles. Glenfarclas GLENFARCLAS 21 Year Old Own Bottling for EDWARD GIACCONE 43% The aroma carries a solid old bottle character, with a touch of allure from aged sherry, gentle plum and caramel notes, honeyed malt, and a refined earthiness with subtle peat. When drinking, it gradually expands with a gentle sherry presence. While sweetness is present, the impression of a lack of depth is notable, alongside a slight chewiness in the malt and its umami, along with a faint earthy quality. The lingering depth and slightly faded nuances are impressive. [Good/Very Good] This is believed to be a bottling by Mr. Giaccione from the 1970s, likely distilled in the 1950s. The Glenfarclas bottlings by Mr. Giaccione include many legendary ones, ranging from diluted to high-proof varieties. This particular bottling is the diluted 21-year-old. The aroma evokes a pleasant, old-style sherry character and the earthy peat often found in older bottles. Since sherry is not dominant, the depth of malt and its umami left a favorable impression. However, approximately 40 years have passed since bottling. A slight sense of aging or mellowing over time was noticeable. In diluted old sherry cask bottlings, a certain 'honeyed' aroma often emerges, but this bottle lacks that characteristic. The condition is quite good, and I used to greatly appreciate such subtle aging effects. While I have always loved old bottles and felt indescribable awe at exceptional ones, I've previously mentioned that my preferences have recently shifted toward newer bottlings. Drinking this with my current preferences, I often feel both the brilliance and a slight sense of insufficiency in such old-style bottlings. These preferences can swing like a pendulum, and I might eventually return to enjoying smoother, older spirits. However, this is not my current preference. Of course, I'm not suggesting this bottle lacks quality; it is undeniably delicious.