Arran 11yo 1999-2010 56% OB cask#108 btl.204/218 ABC
One of the many bourbon single casks bottled at Lochranza, I have to say that this is a series of bottlings yet to really impress me. Smells peppery and peaty, not unlike some young Caol Ila. An archetypal peated malt. The taste is light, sweet, anis, pleasant notes of crisp vanilla and light peat notes. This light sweetness could easily be run over by a stronger peat influence, but here it works perfectly.
A harmonic malt: 6.5
Arran 14yo 46% OB
Arran then, the young single cask whisky producer, now with a comprehensive array of finishes on show as well. The peat is evident at first sniff, as it comes off a bit as a non-coastal peated malt. Old Ballantruan, anyone? The taste is fat, vanilla, quail eggs, roasted beans, honey liqueur, burnt clay and apple core. I've heard many put down the 14yo in comparison to the 12yo Arran. I do recognize that it lacks some of the coastal character, but on the other hand, that's all in the taste of the beholder. I do find them both attractive on different levels, this one on a summers evening while enjoying white grapes and shrimps on a jetty, whilst the twelve years old I'd have 6 hours later as freezing mosquito dinner while sitting by the bonfire.
A solid body, but lacks some uniqueness: 5.5
Arran NAS 43% OB
I tried an Arrab ABC yesterday at a whisky gathering in my home town, I wasn't too impressed so I'll give it another chance today with a more diluted version. Light straw colour, smells young, spirity, immature, this one can't be much older than 5 years, evolves towards some light citrus notes after a while. The taste is light, citric, malty, green apples, a smooth experience, much better than many of these "special cask" versions I've come across. That being said, it isn't particularly advanced. Reminds me somewhat of the old 10yo Fettercairn or even Hazelburn. But then again the light flavours makes the peat stand a bit more out in the aftertaste than in many other versions.
Light malt, fruity coastal style: 6
Arran 10yo 1998-2010 56.3% OB
Bourbon Cask, there's been made much fuzz of these ABC bottlings, I've only tried a few with varying impressions. This one smells of light vanilla and some woody notes, oaky feeling, not as sweet as other versions I've tried. The taste stings with bitter notes, spirity notes and most of all rubber notes, why rubber in a bourbon cask? Water! Sweeter but still bitter, not my favourite from this distillery.
A bad cask I presume: 2
Arran 11yo 57.8% OB cask#713 btl.24/214
My second try on this ABC(Arran Bourbon Cask)-series, I've always enjoyed my young CS bourbon-casked malts, but I actually often enjoy them even younger than this. The problem I find is that the sweet vanilla notes appears in the early years of maturation, but when not bottled early enough they tend to be overshadowed by oakiness. Unless peat steals the show that is. The smell is sweet, vanilla, heather, banana, raisins, mint leaves, eucalyptus, promising. The taste shows an unusually fat texture, unbelieveably concentrated flavours of mint, green bell peppers and chilli oil. Beautiful finishing notes of vanilla and mint with some peat in the background
It seems Arran's made some fine cask choices: 8
Arran 11yo 57.3% OB cask#660
A bourbon casked Arran at considerable strength which I traded from a malt compadre, time to see what this fairly new Lochranza distillery is made of. Lots of vanilla(only vanilla actually) on the nose, seems to be sort of an aperitif malt, very light. It tastes of some sweet fruity stuff, peach, plums, bananas, not the same strong vanilla flavours as on the initial aroma. I have to add that there's a dryness to this which probably comes from the high %abv. With some water mcuh of the dryness and sweetness disappears and it gets just bland, some vanilla and peppery notes. Definately try this without water.
Arran and ex-bourbon casks seems a good match: 6.5
Arran 12yo 54.7% Master of Malt
Last time I tried a Cask Strength Arran I believe I was in Denmark, it was a Blackadder Raw Cask, and it was nothing short of fabulous. Now let's try this one. I don't know if the Distillery bottles for Master of Malt or if they purchase their own casks. The smell is oak, cedarwood, very straight-forward. The taste is all on sweet liquorice, extremely one-dimensional. I'll add some water. Now it opens up, some fruity, waxy notes, banana split, bubble gum, cinnamon, olive oil, a subtle and pleasant flavour. The aftertaste is tarry and peaty.
A good Arran, but that's it: 5.5
Arran NAS 57% OB
I've found, since the beginning, Arran to be a sort of sweet, friendly malt, like the Highland Park for instance. Let's see if this 57% can change my mind. The smell is sweet, honeyed, creamy, blueberries and grilled pork fat. The taste is peaty, dry, dark grapes, herbs, smoked ham, coleslaw and boiled haggis. With a small sip of water it becomes dryer, sweeter and much dirtier. It is a malt for the perverted ones, good, and far from extreme.
A well structured Island malt: 6
Arran 8yo 55.2% Blackadder Raw Cask btl.35/350
To find this one as the only Scotch single malt on a location serving almost only cheap danish liquorice malt to drunken seafarers, I guess is a rare treat. Pale colour, fruity and coastal scents, i do enjoy it a lot. Lemon, green grapes and salt. The taste is salty and very coastal, I love it, who knew at this age the Arran could be so well developed without any crazy cask finish? Alright, it isn't a very advanced malt, but neither is man of the other good coastal malts, say Highland Park, Scapa or Old Pulteney, of course Talisker doesn't fall into that category.
In this one I can chew cask sediments, wonderful: 7.5
Arran NAS 40% OB Robert Burns
The Arran malt is very well received by some... This one gives a totally anonymous nosing. The first tasting is also extremely dull, soft, hard to recognize other than a well hidden taste of alcohol. It has a sweet vanilla flavour to it, and with water it just becomes more metallic.
A big yawn: 4
Arran NAS 46% OB
Arran is a new distillery that tries a bit too hard with numbers of bottles, batches, cask types, and everything else stated on labels. The Arran Malt, as this is called, is probably not older than 6yo. Immensely sweet is my first impression. Bizarre smell, very phenolic, small hint of apple core, and a rather nauseating and yeasty finish.
I'm second guessing the potentional development on this malt: 2.5
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