March 13, 2015

Three arrant Arrans

Sorry about that stoopid headline. Arran’s whiskies are sometimes called Arran, and sometimes Isle of Arran. What’s sure is that the first batches are now fully mature and that some are approaching their 20 years of age. Today we’ll have three independent versions.

Isle of Arran 14 yo 1997/2012 (46%, The Maltman , cask #747)

There’s also been a very good 16 yo by The Maltman (WF 86). Colour: gold. Nose: it’s rather firm, pretty marzipany, with plenty of barley, roots, clean damp wood, vanilla and cornflakes. In the background, whiffs of lemon balm and a little earth. Very good balance between the malt and the oak, methinks. Some honey as well. Mouth: all the same, with good punch. It’s the oak that talks first (pepper) and then come apples, more marzipan, vanilla, butterscotch and some kind of earthy coffee, mocha style. Finish: good length, with a bit of bitter oak that works well here, green apples, some bitterish green tea. The white pepper is back in the aftertaste, together with a little salt. Comments: a fine drop, very natural, very close to both the barley and the oak. SGP:451 - 84 points.

Arran 17 yo 1996/2014 (50%, Highland Laird, Bartels Rawlings)

Colour: white wine. Nose: there’s much less oak in this one, which the colour already suggested. A funny feeling of diesel oil, then kirsch, gooseberries, rhubarb and the obligatory apples. Oh and tons of barley. In other words, a very barleyish malt whisky. With water: more soaked barley. Visiting a malting plant that wouldn’t do peated. Some barley water as well. Mouth (neat): the texture is fatter than that of the 1997, and once again this is rather on the fruity side. Lemons, grapefruits, rhubarb, kiwis and such, plus some grass. With water: fruit syrup galore, and more barley water. It’s become rounder and rather sweeter. Acacia honey. Finish: medium length, with rather more oranges, including zests in the aftertaste. Was that Fanta? Comments: very likeable. Not quite characterful spirit IMHO, but it’s very, very pleasant. SGP:551 - 85 points.

Isle of Arran 18 yo 1996/2014 (53.2%, High Spirits for Lospiritodeitempi.it)

Colour: white wine. Nose: it does start with a little ethanol and varnish, perhaps, but that may be the higher strength. After that, we’re rather having mints, marzipan, broken branches and roots, a little muscovado sugar, touches of eucalyptus and drops of café latte. Also this very strange hazelnut-flavoured coffee they make at Sturbacks (hey, they always wreck my name, I can wreck theirs!) With water: overripe sour apples and a touch of pasticine. Mouth (neat): there’s the same kind of sharpy, estery arrival, and then the same kind of lovely development on marzipan, orange sweets, candy sugar, coffee and mint. Excellent body. A little fat sweet beer too. With water: same feeling of tinned fruits sprinkled with light honey. Finish: medium length, a little maltier. Some liquorice wood and a little coffee. Regular coffee this time. Comments: same ballpark, I find this very good, and very ‘natural’. SGP:551 - 85 points.

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

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback