The Arran Malt 14yr

Islands region – 46%ABV – $70 | £38 | €45

I’m going to skip the preamble today.  As I type this, it’s Thanksgiving weekend and there’s a lot of family schtuff going on so I’m tired and my time is a bit short.

Anyway, the Arran 14yr is much more exciting than anything I have to tell you.

Here we go y’all:

On the nose Big, big apples!  Wow!

Lemongrass.

Malty goodness.

Getting fruitier, this time a bit more tropical…mango and star fruit.

Caramel syrup.

A big fat fruity & juicy nose that makes me very happy!

On the mouth Fizzy-fizzy goodness (however I was hoping for a slightly chewier mouthfeel).

More floral in taste as compared to the nose.

Interesting…  Malt, top notch belgian beer (Duvel, my favorite).

Youthful notes – I’d love to taste what the new make spirit is like, my guess is that it’s strong personality is showing through to the final product.

Cereal notes.

Apple peels.  Dried apples.

Turkish delights minus the nuts.

Rose water.

A nice saltiness here.

Finish — Lasting, still fizzy.  A briny & fruity finish.

In sum Reminds me of a young Balblair with a set of balls (especially on the nose).  This is a very summery dram.  Bright and refreshing.

The Arran Malt 10yr – a young beauty not to be overlooked

Islands region – 46%ABV – $40-45 | £28 | €33

Hidden jems, most of the time are not really hidden.  Oftentimes they simply go undetected; even in plain sight.

At 15 years of age, The Arran Malt Distillery is one of the newer kids on the block.  So, you may not heave heard of them just yet.

There’s nothing over-the-top or super eye-catching about their standard packaging (though, I think the bottles have a bit of a regal look to them).  So, you may have overlooked them in the single malt section of your local spirits shop.

I’m going to dedicate the next couple of weeks to The Arran Malt Distillery and their whiskies.  I feel as if I’ve stumbled upon a bit of a hidden gem here and I want to share my findings with you.

Let’s start with their entry level dram – the 10 year old:

On the nose Aggressive young nose with an initial sea element to it.

Something a bit smokey too (this is not peated but there are mere hints of a beach bonfire).

Getting beyond this and you’ll find obvious notes of crystalized ginger and red delicious apples (or perhaps, delicious red apples).

Hot cinnamon.

Malt, lots of it.

On the mouth Nice mouth feel, even steven.

Caramels and almond nougats.

Hot apple cider.

More of the ginger I detected on the nose but not as upfront on the palate.

Wet paper bags filled with white berries (perhaps gooseberry).

Finish Longy McLongerson, refreshing and sweet.

In sum The balance is fantastic.  It’s not everyday you find an everyday dram but, damn, I done found one!  Complex, a bit challenging, immensely enjoyable and easily drunk (the fluid, not me).

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To all us yanks out there…

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you enjoy the time with your friends, family and good whisk(e)y!

Being that this is an American holiday, I’m planning on enjoying some American whiskies.  Perhaps some Evan Williams 2000 and maybe some Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey or some Hudson Baby Bourbon.

Care to share what you’ll be sipping on?  Even if you’re not in the US, feel free to share your weekend drams (be they Scotch, Bourbon, Japanese, Irish, Swedish, etc… Whisky)!

Enjoy!

L’chayim/Sláinte/Cheers!

Joshua “Yossi” Hatton