The Arran Malt Aged 10 Years Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 700ml

Product Information

The Arran 14, which I will review soon, has a different character, with more oak and some different fruit influences. I bought this single malt on recommendation of Quebecwhisky.com, who included it in their "Christmas suggestions 2011" here: quebecwhisky.com/suggestions2011.shtml

There’s a reason this bottling was nominated in the recent Online Scotch Whisky Awards (the OSWA’s) for “Best Entry Level Single Malt 2021” and “Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky 2021,” winning both categories! It goes to show how this presentation of 46% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtering is captivating whisky connoisseurs. Arran are to be applauded. Nose: Salted butter, supported by fresh grass and a whisp of vanilla sweetness. There is also cantaloupe, if you're looking, and an impression of Nori sheets. Nose: Rich tropical fruits. Papaya, mango, pineapple, banana, lots of vanilla. I've heard this described (probably here on Connosr) as a tropical fruit salad and I couldn't agree more. A nice cereal note as well, I love getting a malty, cereal note that shows off the spirit itself. Very pleasant nose. Arran water” was the term given to the illicit liquid that was smuggled across to the mainland at the height of the island’s distilling period. It was then regarded as the best that could be had. Any new distillery needs a good water source for production. So, when Harold Currie sought after a dependable source of water for the Arran distillery, he was helped by a local property owner and his geologist son. Having assessed the water from Loch na Davie, high up Gleann Eason Boirach to the east of Lochranza, they found it to be perfect for their purposes. Supposedly, it is the purest natural water source in Scotland. This water flow ran adjacent to the parcel of land Currie had acquired. It was here that the distillery would be built. To be honest, I've been waiting that dram for about 3 months. Why, you ask? Well, in my familly we do a secret santa every year and we provide a list of the things we'd like to receive, and as a spirit enthusiast, I always put some whisky's and rums on there. And this year, instead of the usual blend, I had the Arran 10YO, as it is available for around our agreed upon price of 40CAD.Amid closures and overproduction, you’d think the last thing any investor would do would be to open a new whisky distillery in Scotland, never mind opening one on the Isle of Arran. At this stage in the 1990s, no one really anticipated the boom we are currently experiencing.

Fully matured in 1st fill Bourbon Casks for 10 years and bottled at 46%, without chill filtration or added colouring, this new peated Arran Single Malt displays all the freshness of our island house style, with an added puff of smoke and earthiness, offering a warm gold coloured whisky with a peating level of 20ppm. The flagship products of Arran are the distillery’s non-age-stated Robert Burns single malt, and the core Arran 10 Year, the youngest of its age-stated products. That’s the sample I had, and that’s what we’re reviewing today. It’s bottled at a respectable 92 proof (46% ABV). It’s not entirely clear what kind of barrels this is aged in, but the assumption is that it’s exclusively re-use bourbon casks. However, Harold Currie (former director of Chivas) founded Arran distillers, with the distillery opening in 1995 in Locranza. Locranza is a village on Arran, an oval-shaped island on the west coast of Scotland, located west of Glasgow, just east of Mull of Kintyre. Arran is a unique island steeped in a history of illicit distilling, with around 50 distilleries, with the last legally founded distillery (Lagg) closing in 1837. Despite the refreshed and re-labeled range, Arran continues to field a wide range of single malts and blends (including two confusingly named after Robert Burns) and even a cream liqueur. We’re just dipping a toe in the lineup today, including fresh looks at three of its most widely available whiskies. This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services.The taste is vanilla sweet with a slight salty smokiness - fruity, even slight notes of chocolate. Just enough spice to leave your mouth and lips tingling. Very warm, even hot - and quite smooth. What should malt whisky taste of... Malt? This one certainly does! My first encounter with this distillery was somewhat premature. I was a first year undergrad on a geology field trip to Arran and one of the excursions took us past the Lochranza distillery, but it must have been newly opened at the time as it was quite a few years ago. I get three main themes off the nose, malt, fruit and alcohol. The later is somewhat unusual from a malt, it’s the aroma that’s more obvious off cheap vodka. The fruits I get are apples, pears and apricots, there is also a touch of smoke in the mix too. As, a side notes, ! played master blender with it and some BeenRiach Arumaticus Fumosus, and: WOW! Though weird that it's the speysider that lends the peat to the islander here. It reminded me of a young talisker. On the palate, very bright and young with more citrus notes, vanilla, tropical fruits and spice (cumin?). Some sour apple adds a bit of tang. Water ups the spice a little. Again, very fresh and sprightly.