Almost Legal : The Arran malt turns 17 – review

ar17bigSome whiskies shine at a young age, and some shine after quite a few years of maturation. Arran whisky seems to really benefit from longer periods of maturation and since Arran is quite a young distillery, It’s been a pleasure trying their whisky over the few recent years, and It just keeps on getting better. I loved the 14 year old, and then last year’s 16 yo was fantastic too. This 17 year old is really getting along, and I liked it from first sniff. Let’s dive in shall we?

Arran 17 Year Old, 46% , £64 (The whisky Exchange)arran17

Nose: A lovely sweet entry with soft vanilla, orchard fruit, a bit of candied citrus (mostly orange, but some tangerine too) , honey and golden syrup add more sweet sensations, and then some spices, and a touch of appetizing wood, deep but crisp at the same time. A superb nose in my book. Excellent start.

Palate: Starts sweet, with a peppery tang, then some vanilla and coconut goodness with a dash of spices on top of chocolate and candied ginger dipped in honey, and a distant smoky note.

Finish: Spiced chocolate, hint of smoke, sugar and dried apricot.

One year short of 18, and Arran has really come of age. Sohpisticated, classy, layerd and complex. A pleasure, and a celebration for the taste buds. One step at a time Arran whisky is becoming one of the better malts on the market right now at this age and price point. Period. The best Arran to date. 90’s. Cant wait for next year’s release. Really can’t.

Only 9,000 bottles of this nectar, so be quick!

Score: 90/100

Official sample provided by Arran malt.

4 thoughts on “Almost Legal : The Arran malt turns 17 – review

  1. Seems like a very delicious dram from Arran again, I love their 16 year old and I really can’t wait for the 18 or even the 21 year old from Arran

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