November 21, 2014

Four Arran

Single cask Arrans abound these days. Time to try a little bunch of them, and why not do a verticale since the Distillery’s approaching its 20th anniversary.

Arran 7 yo 2006/2014 (54.1%, OB for Whisky and More Lausanne, bourbon barrel, cask #2006/009, 241 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: rather hot at first nosing, but there’s a creamy vanilla and some bright fruits, between garden ones (apples, plums) and citrus. This freshness balances the relative roughness from young age. With water: porridge, sour dough and lemon juice, plus a wee farminess, which happens very often. Mouth (neat): really punchy, hot again, with the lemon doing most of the job, plus pepper and nutmeg from the oak, on a rather grainy base. With water: becomes smoother, with some mandarins this time. As much oaky spiciness as before. Finish: quite long, malty, barleyish. Dry cinnamon in the aftertaste. Maybe a little peat. Comments: young but already kind of mature. Nothing to complain about, a nice souvenir from Lausanne! SGP:451 - 81 points.

Arran 12 yo 2001/2014 (53%, OB for Limburg Whisky Fair, bourbon, cask #2001/903, 210 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: exactly what five more years can do. Same profile, only rounder, fruitier, with less rough graininess. Apples and mashed potatoes, barley water, sweet bread and a little banana. With water: gets very chalky, then farmyardy. Mouth (neat): same, it’s rounder, quite fresh, with apples, citrus and pepper from the oak. A little salt as well. With water: lemony and malty. Fine. Finish: quite long, clean, fruity, fresh, with this oaky spiciness in the aftertaste. Comments: I find this good. Yes that was a little laconic. SGP:451 - 82 points.

Arran 17 yo 1996/2014 (54,9%, Malts of Scotland, sherry butt, cask #14029, 612 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: there’s a butyric side to this baby, notes of creamy sauce, a little gravel, then whiffs of hay and grain. Mashed potatoes. No wham-bam whisky! With water: some porridge coming through. Mouth (neat): this is more like it, with notes of sweet beer and pepper, sour apples, cider, lemon, ginger and then more fruit drops. Pears and pineapples. The pepper starts to take control after a few seconds. With water: it’s getting good, with some citrus ala Littlemill. Lemons. Finish: of medium length, maybe a little MOTR but the lemon still lifts it. Comments: all very good whiskies, but I wouldn’t say they inspire me much. Must be me. Water is obligatory here. SGP:541 - 82 points.

Oh, we’ve also got a peated Arran…

Arran 8 yo 2005/2014 (50.7%, OB for Limburg Whisky Fair, peated barrels, casks # 05/159+05/161, 510 bottles)

Peated barrels? Was the malt peated or were the barrels ex-peater? Or both? Colour: white wine. Nose: where pears and peat smoke mingle. It’s easy, simple, and pleasant. Some iodine, some antiseptic, some raw wool. With water: same. Mouth (neat): sweet peat plus a little butter and custard. White cherries, maybe a little melon. Milk and pepper. With water: as before, the citrus kicks in, which improves it in my opinion. Finish: good length, clean, bitter oranges, lemon, smoke, pepper. Comments: young but it’s clean and pleasant. Especially the finish is very nice, clean and fresh. SGP:444 - 83 points.

Check the index of all Arran I've tasted so far