After the barley has been mashed, it is fermented in the distillery's wooden washbacks before being twice distilled through Talisker's copper-pot stills. The stills are equipped with unique swan-shaped lye pipes and worm tubs. As a result of this configuration, a portion of the vapor during distillation condenses before reaching the cooler, and runs back into the still for redistillation. This process gives Talisker Single Malt Whisky its signature, full-bodied flavor profile. Talisker 30 is the oldest single malt in their core lineup. Released annually in limited quantities, the whisky has spent its 3 decades in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, resulting in a wonderfully mature, complex, and nuanced expression that's bottled at 91.6 proof.

Glenfarclas 40 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky is matured for a minimum of four decades in used oak casks. As a result, the single malt has an aroma of chewy leather, walnuts and chocolate covered raisins, which gives way to lush notes of cocoa beans, woody tannins, dates and dried figs. The lingering finish, which is never too oaky, has hints of toffee and caramel. Glenfarclas 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky earned a score of 95 points from Whisky Advocate, which also named it the Editor's Choice and called it "a very good value for its age."