Arran, five 1996s and one 2000


January 30, 2017

Arran, five 1996s and one 2000

Time to have more Arrans, especially since more older ones are starting to appear here and there on the market. And many less unlikely finishings… Phew!

Arran 15 yo 2000/2015 (52.7%, OB for independentspirit.de, sherry hogshead, cask #2000/256, 307 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: creamy and cake-y, with a lot of butterscotch, biscuits, maple syrup, apple crumble, and then a little moist pipe tobacco and humus. That is very nice. With water: a tiny wee touch of sulphur that is soon to vanish in the air, then an unexpected medicinal side, ala Laphroaig. Drops of antiseptic? Very nice and quite fresh. Mouth (neat): all very perfect, this is almost a Linzertorte, but let’s not forget all the vanilla, peach jam, and panettone. Faint leafiness in the background. With water: rather perfect, with many cereals and many jams, plus this wee Laphroaigness again. Where does that come from? Finish: medium, very fine, slightly mentholy. Verbena and a little earth in the aftertaste. Comments: super good and rather intriguing, as they say in brochures. SGP:552 - 86 points.

Arran 18 yo 1996/2014 (52.7%, Chapter 7, bourbon hogshead, cask #879, 138 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: ah yes, herbs! Verbena, wormwood, rosemary, parsley, and even watercress, which I just adore. Gets then more ‘regular’, with a little leather and tobacco, as well as hints of dried ginger on top of a bed of vanilla. All fine. With water: grapefruits and limes! Nice margarita, I say. Mouth (neat): really super, easy, yet firm, with a creamy mouth feel. Same feeling of herbs as in the nose, then more ginger, nutmeg and white pepper from the oak, then bitter oranges. With water: it swims like Mark Spitz. No dope needed. Finish: medium, clean, lemony, and very fresh. Always an asset. Comments: really love these very fresh batches, my favourite Arrans. SGP:551 - 89 points.

Arran 19 yo 1996/2016 (54%, Cadenhead, fino sherry, 258 bottles)

From the Wood range, that usually shelters both princes and beggars. Colour: white wine. Nose: hurray! I don’t know if that’s the fino, but what we’ve got is a bright herbal side akin to that of the Chapter 7, plus walnuts, cigars, and soft mustard. It’s a winning combo, all we’d also need is a little Bellota. With water: becomes muddy. Not visually though. Tadpole pond bordered by herbs, especially mint. Mouth (neat): very lovely, citrusy, zesty, tense, and rather sherbetty. Tends to become peppery and bitter, having said that. Fresh walnuts, a true fino thing. With water: the citrus strikes back. Grapefruits and more green walnuts. Sharpish. Finish: medium, on the same flavours. A leathery touch in the aftertaste. Comments: another superb Arran 1996, but where’s that bellota? SGP:561 - 89 points.

Arran 20 yo 1996/2016 (51.5%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, refill hogshead, cask #11345, 287 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: oh yes, further down the mentholy route! Pink grapefruits and crushed mint leaves, then a little damp earth (mud, really), then maple syrup and ultra-fresh sponge cake. I have no quarrel with this. With water: lemon tea. Mouth (neat): some very good toasted lemon brioche and various pastries, café latte, lemon curd, and a spoonful of Ovaltine. With water: perfect zesty and herbal maltiness. Finish: medium, malty and cake-y, with a lemony backbone. Comments: I remember in the early 2000s, everybody used to wonder why Arran didn’t go all-peated. This may be an answer. SGP:551 - 89 points.

Phew, three 89-ers in a row. Let’s try a little harder…

Arran 20 yo 1996/2016 (51.9%, North Star Spirits, 234 bottles)

It seems that this baby did first mature in a bourbon hogshead, and was then finished in Madeira. By the way, I think we should, collectively, ask our beloved distillers and bottlers to be more precise, since there are several kinds of Madeiras (it’s just like sherry), from bone dry to totally sweet. Anyway… Colour: gold. Nose: there is a wine-iness indeed, around stems and buds (peonies?), as well as an earthy fruitiness. It’s funny that we’re rather feeling red wine (90% of the red wine finishings don’t work IMHO, but 10% do). Mulled wine, earthy fruits... With water: rather more natural – that is to say maltier. Mouth (neat): crikey, another one that’s pretty good! A spicy and peppery arrival, then plenty of walnuts, which suggests that this was a dry Madeira. Bitter oranges and leather. With water: excellent balance. Grapefruits, ginger, and walnuts. Finish: pretty long, on the same notes. Thyme in the aftertaste? Comments: rather less my preferred style, but I won’t deny that the execution is perfect. SGP:451 - 86 points.

Arran 1996/2016 (54.8%, OB for Limburg Whisky Fair, sherry hogshead, cask #654, 280 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: peppered peonies and blackcurrants, bubblegum, gingered leather, leek, and bags of dried mint leaves, then chalk and fresh concrete. This is different… With water: mint tea in the Sahara! Gorgeous, really, this baby really loves water. Mouth (neat): pretty good. A biscuity and malty/spicy arrival, then more tobacco and Moroccan spice mix. Stuff that would resuscitate a dead camel. With water: some candied notes, praline, candy sugar, gingerbread, speculoos… In short, from Morocco to Belgium. Finish: the spices are striking back. I think they’re calling this ras el hanout. Comments: once again, not exactly my preferred style, but the execution is perfect. SGP:451 - 86 points.

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