Cadenhead’s Glenfarclas 12yo Authentic Collection October 2025 & Cadenhead’s Glenturret 14yo Authentic Collection August 2025

Cadenhead’s Glenfarclas 12yo Authentic Collection October 2025

Region: Speyside

ABV: 56.5%

Price: £60.00

Distilled in 2012 and re-racked into a Sauternes hogshead in 2020, this single cask was bottled in October 2025 at 12 years of age for Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection. The outturn was 234 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with lemons, limes, peaches, marzipan, and Manuka honey. Good alcohol integration and you can get your nose right into the glass without it bothering you. Going back and there’s some orange peel, toffee cinders, freshly chopped wood and icing sugar. Those citrus notes really dominate, but it’s a really pleasing nose. 

Palate

The palate is hot from start to finish, with clear chilli spice. There’s also some roasted coffee, sugars syrup, orange juice, and almonds. On the plus side the palate has a little texture to it. There is a little sweetness on that finish along with that spice, but we’re also finding it a little mouth drying. Hopefully water will help.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose has a little less citrus, with mango now appearing. Green apple emerges with patience. Otherwise, it remains relatively unchanged and the alcohol stays in good balance.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate loses some of the upfront spice, though it still appears on the medium-length finish. The mouthfeel remains good. It is a little more savoury now, with the sweeter notes slightly dimmed, though not to the dram’s detriment.

Conclusion

We suspect there is an optimal level of dilution here to balance that spice, but we struggled to find it and would not want to fuss with a dram quite that much. There are some nice flavours, but overall it is too spicy for our tastes.

Score: 6/10

Value

£60 for 12yo cask strength Glenfarclas is something we can get behind.

Cadenhead’s Glenturret 14yo Authentic Collection August 2025

Region: Highlands

ABV: 52.8%

Price: £70.00

Distilled in 2010 and fully matured in a bourbon hogshead, this single cask Glenturret was bottled in August 2025 for Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection. The Outturn was 300 bottles. 

Nose

The nose opens with cold butter, Pickled Onion Monster Munch, a little peat smoke, and apple sauce. Again the alcohol is well balanced with just a prickle of pepper spice showing the ABV. Returning to it, we find Werther’s Originals, a little vinegar, orange peel, and cheese and onion crisps.

Palate

The palate brings light peat smoke, week old Chardonnay, salt water, and orange juice. The finish is medium in length with a little too much cracked black pepper spice lingering for our liking. The mouthfeel has a touch of weight to it. Going back, there is pear sweets, tequila, and vanilla essence. As we sit with it we find that it’s become quite mouth drying.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose loses the cold butter note and gains pencil shavings, tobacco, fresh leather, and dried wood. The Werther’s Originals note is more prominent now. The smoke has dimmed, we’re finding the spice has remained in good balance.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate holds its mouthfeel after dilution, but the finish is still a little spicy for us. There is more of that old Chardonnay now, although overall it feels slightly less complex than before dilution.

Conclusion

Personally we’d have pegged this as closer to 12 years old. It’s a little too simple with a splash of water, and like a lot of Glenturret bottles, a bit on the funky side when neat. Some will enjoy that funk, but for us it is a touch too much for our tastes. Some will go higher, but we’re sitting firmly at a 6.

Score: 6/10

Value

Broken record time, but Cadenhead continue to offer good value cask strength releases.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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