Arran 1996 15 Year Old Sherry Cask #1968

Arran 100 Proof

This is my first Arran. I haven’t sampled much from this distillery, but right now I find myself starting with the 100 Proof. I like a bit of kick, so I thought a healthy 57% abv. may be right up my alley. Not so. Nose: Apples, citrus rind, pears, and malt. Lots of barley and some very light vanilla. The strength gives it an alcoholic bite but the...

Score 73/100

Arran 17 Year Old

In 2014 a limited edition of the Arran 17 Year Old was released. I find it surprisingly dark, actually. Great nose on candied fruit and brown sugar, green apples, blood oranges, a hint of pear drops, banana peel and honey. Soft on the spices with both pepper and aniseed and a hint of oak. It’s a bit old school, which I quite fancy. The arrival is...

Score 85/100

Arran 5 Year Old 2005 Single Bourbon Cask

When The Nectar, one of the leading bottlers in Belgium, celebrated their 5th birthday, they bottled a couple of malts, including this 5 Year Old Arran. It was distilled on 12 December 2005 and bottled on 17 August 2011. The bourbon cask yielded 254 bottles. The nose is massively herbal and a touch farmy. Freshly cut grass, hay, heather, lavender...

Score 85/100

Arran 21 Year Old Explorer Series 3 Kildonan & Pladda Island

In 2018, Arran launched the so-called Explorer Series, bottling malts aged 20 to 23 years old and offering them in a fun metal box depicting an interesting spot on Arran. It started with the Brodick Bay in 2018, followed by the Lochranza Castle in 2018, the Kildonan & Pladda Island in 2020 and the Drumadoon Point in 2021. I expect that another...

Score 87/100