How times flies..
I’ve been watching the Arran malt grow up, and the past few years’ releases were just brilliant. As I’ve noted before, the Arran liquid seems to get better with each year it spends in the casks (It’s not always the case), and after the excellent 17 yo of last year, and the lovely 16 yo comes the first ever OB (yes, I know some IBs already released an 18 year old Arran) to be of legal age : 18 years old…
Bottled at 46 % ABV, NCF, natural color, and aged in sherry casks (though do not expect a sherry monster, cause this one is not quite that) . With those high expectations, let’s get on and taste this whisky, shall we?
Arran 18 Year Old , 46% abv , £70 , 9,000 btl
Nose: The nose is a wonderful mélange of sweet syrup, wood spice and vanilla. There are also notes of toasted oak, almonds, nuts and fragrant wild flower honey. Very nicely integrated. Fresh yet perfumed. With baked apple desert, to add a nice fruity edge. This is the kind of nose you can sniff, and sniff for quite a long time. Classic stuff.
Palate: Toffee , candy and rum soaked sponge cake. Chocolate, spice and some cinnamon buns as well as honey, vanilla custard and toasted oak I like it very very much. It’s dry but it’s mouth watering. Really lovely honeyed feeling to it, and the sherry is not overpowering, but it’s there for added sweetness. that’s for sure.
Finish: Dry. Toasted oak and Chocolate truffles ,with almonds and cocoa powder.
Conclusion:
This is really excellent stuff, a true milestone, and you have to admit Arran are making awesome whiskies recently. They got the right spirit, and the casks are great, they are doing a good job of vatting casks, and producing ‘A’ level whiskies. No games, no tricks. Whisky.
Splendid stuff, and I like it a lot.
If you can find a bottle, get one, while it lasts. 9,000 bottles of this quality tend to disappear quickly.
Score: 90/100
Official sample provided by the Arran Malt.