Isle of Arran Distillery

Located between the Kintyre Peninsula and Mainland Scotland, the Isle of Arran was without a legal working distillery for over 150 years until the Arran Distillery was founded in 1994 in Lochranza at the north end of the island. Now, in 2019, a sister distillery, Lagg, is operating in the south. Historically, Arran has released some really outstanding single casks and average everything else.  So, let's see where they rate today when showcased in flights of the core range and single casks.

* FLIGHT ONE *

Expression 1
 10 Year Old

Background: Arran's initial core range age statement expression, first available in 2006.  From the bottle code, it looks like this particular offering was bottled in 2016.  So, assuming 2005/06 distillate.

Stats:  Alcohol By Volume (ABV) = 46%.

Tasting Notes: This was an impressive 10 Year.  Sometimes low expectations can really work towards your advantage, eh?  A honey cotton candy nose followed by sweet apricot taste.  And a nice long finish.  Very pleased that 46% ABV appears to be the distillery's minimum after their early No Age Statement (NAS) releases were fairly weak at 43%.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Pour?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 2
 14 Year Old

Background:  Older bottling - possibly from the initial offering of the 14 Year expression as the bottle code indicates a 2010 bottling which makes the whisky likely from 1995/96 distillate.

Stats: ABV = 46%
.

Tasting Notes: The aroma is much flatter than the 10.  That cotton candy note from before is apparent on the taste this time.  But overall, fairly uninteresting.  This is actually what I anticipated from the 10 Year.  Perhaps the distillate from 2006 improved immensely over the 10+ years from 1995, at least for these two core products.  Looks like the the 14 Year is now discontinued.  Maybe it's for the best.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
NO	NO	NO

Expression 3
 18 Year Old

Background: The regular edition 18, first released in 2016, not to be confused with the Limited Edition white label 18 Year Old from 2015. Bottled in 2018 which equates to 1999/2000 distillate.

Stats: ABV = 46%.  
 

Tasting Notes: A soft. flowery, fruity nose.  Subtle sherry notes come through on the taste as well along with light chocolate.  A little too smooth, if there is such a thing.  The easy drinking nature of this one could be dangerous.  

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 4
 21 Year Old

 

Background: The first distillery offering of a 21 Year, limited to 9000 bottles and so far none have been distributed in the USA.  However, it's a very reasonably priced for single malt of this age - even if you have to pay for overseas shipping.

Stats: ABV = 46%. 
 

Tasting Notes: From its appearance, I was expecting a similar  flavor profile as the 18.  Surprisingly, it wasn't sherry that hit me this time, but bourbon notes.  Oily, buttery Irish Cream.  Short finish, however.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

* FLIGHT TWO *

Expression 1
  22 Year Old

Background: There might be an older Arran out there, but not many.  Bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange and limited to 324 bottles.

Stats: 1996 Vintage. ABV = 50.4%.
 Sherry Hogshead.  Cask #81.

Tasting Notes: Back to the soft and flowery sherry nose.  Too light on the chocolate notes. The impression across the board is so subtle, it's almost dull.  I've had some younger single cask sherry Arran in the past that would blow this one away.  Had high expectations for this one, and it fell flat.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	NO	NO

Expression 2
   Thompson's 18 Year Sauternes Finish

Background: Not too familiar with this French independent bottler.  Besides a couple blends, the only thing that Thompson's has apparently released are four Arran single casks, including this one.  Arran has always had a single cask program available to all, so perhaps they bought four casks back in 1996 and finished them all in Sauternes to launch their brand.

Stats:  1996 Vintage. ABV = 52.9%.
 Cask #1834

Tasting Notes: Sweet white wine on the nose.  A soft, oily mouthfeel and a bit of maple syrup and raisins on the finish.  Nice, but not so memorable.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	NO

Expression 3
Lochranza 22 Year Private Cask

Background: 1996 must have been a banner year for the Arran Single Cask Program.  Most private casks remain private, but some make it to retail or auction.

Stats: 1996 Vintage. ABV = 50.2%. Cask #1511

Tasting Notes: No cask information, but I'll take a stab and go with Re-charred ex-sherry with it's smokey sweet nose pairing with maple syrup notes.  The taste is leathery and meaty.  Barbeque smoke.  Very interesting.

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

Expression 4
 SMWS 121.102

Background: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has been bottling single casks for its members since 1983. They use code numbers where the first set of digits refer to a specific distillery and the second set of numbers equate to the single cask itself.  So, this is their 102nd single cask from Arran, titled A Fruity Fruition, aged for over 18 years.

Stats: ABV = 53.4%. 1st Fill Charred Ex-Red Wine Barrique.

Tasting Notes: A berry, fruity nose give way to complex traditional red wine notes.  Clean and sweet and then it gets meaty.  Nutty and woody on the finish.  Complex!

Worth Drinking Again?	Worth Buying a Dram?	Worth Buying a Bottle?
YES	YES	YES

[Tasting conducted with the Sneaky Trips Tasting Group which consists of Whisk(e)y Enthusiasts ranging from Beginner to Advanced.  Tastings are held monthly and are usually 8 Expressions based on a particular theme.]