Island Single Malt Whisky
Circa £36 for 70cl
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| A good measure of the Arran 14 Year Old |
The second of the two samples sent to me from the Isle of Arran Distillery, but first a little more information about them.
Following a survey by the Geology Department of Glasgow University, the owner was advised to open his new Distillery on Arran for three reasons:
They had found the purest water supply in all of Scotland at Loch na Davie, high in the hills that overlook the village of Lochranza on the North coast of Arran.
Arran is washed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and enjoys a microclimate - ideal for the speedy maturation of single malt whiskies.
The Island already enjoyed a reputation for producing top quality - if illegal - whisky.
The Arran Distillery has strived to use traditional methods of distilling, with wooden washbacks and copper stills. Their location offers perfect water for whisky production, cleansed by granite and softened by peat as it comes down from the mountain above. The atmosphere of sea breezes and clear mountain air together with the warm flow of the Gulf Stream matures the Arran Malt to perfection in earth floored warehouses. They use no peat in the production process and no caramel for artificial colouring, so no scrutinising the packaging for the very small print in German required! The whisky is also non-chillfiltered.
The 14 Year Old was officially launched in 2010 and is set to be one of their core range of three age statements, 10, 14 and 18 year olds, so look out for the launch of the 18 year old in 2014, I’ll be making a note in my diary.
So what did I think?
I certainly liked the 14 Year Old more than the 10 Year Old, the extra four years in the wood has done good! Another sensible bottling at 46% ABV
Colour: Very similar to the 10 Year Old, like a golden white wine, perhaps a touch darker.
Nose: Another wonderful nose, very fragrant and perfumed. Dried fruits and peaches, a little more sherry that the 10 year old, vanilla and caramel toffee.
Palate: Smooth and creamy, an initial saltiness leads onto warming toffee apples and nuts, dates, and orange peel. The feel is overwhelmingly rich and weighty in the mouth
Finish: I have read that the Arran’s have a trademark cinnamon spiced finish, but I never got this but it was a thoroughly enjoyable finish, with a saltiness balancing the sweet fruit.
This 14 year old is a great whisky is another bottle I would be more than happy to recommend and I will definitely be looking out for further releases from this distillery.
Following a survey by the Geology Department of Glasgow University, the owner was advised to open his new Distillery on Arran for three reasons:
They had found the purest water supply in all of Scotland at Loch na Davie, high in the hills that overlook the village of Lochranza on the North coast of Arran.
Arran is washed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and enjoys a microclimate - ideal for the speedy maturation of single malt whiskies.
The Island already enjoyed a reputation for producing top quality - if illegal - whisky.
The Arran Distillery has strived to use traditional methods of distilling, with wooden washbacks and copper stills. Their location offers perfect water for whisky production, cleansed by granite and softened by peat as it comes down from the mountain above. The atmosphere of sea breezes and clear mountain air together with the warm flow of the Gulf Stream matures the Arran Malt to perfection in earth floored warehouses. They use no peat in the production process and no caramel for artificial colouring, so no scrutinising the packaging for the very small print in German required! The whisky is also non-chillfiltered.
The 14 Year Old was officially launched in 2010 and is set to be one of their core range of three age statements, 10, 14 and 18 year olds, so look out for the launch of the 18 year old in 2014, I’ll be making a note in my diary.
So what did I think?
I certainly liked the 14 Year Old more than the 10 Year Old, the extra four years in the wood has done good! Another sensible bottling at 46% ABV
Colour: Very similar to the 10 Year Old, like a golden white wine, perhaps a touch darker.
Nose: Another wonderful nose, very fragrant and perfumed. Dried fruits and peaches, a little more sherry that the 10 year old, vanilla and caramel toffee.
Palate: Smooth and creamy, an initial saltiness leads onto warming toffee apples and nuts, dates, and orange peel. The feel is overwhelmingly rich and weighty in the mouth
Finish: I have read that the Arran’s have a trademark cinnamon spiced finish, but I never got this but it was a thoroughly enjoyable finish, with a saltiness balancing the sweet fruit.
This 14 year old is a great whisky is another bottle I would be more than happy to recommend and I will definitely be looking out for further releases from this distillery.
1 comment:
you sholud seek out the icons of Arran the peacock and the Rowan tree,and dog, whatever it's called ;) there's a new one coming ...
my notes are here.
http://whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/13/tasting-6-arrans-with-friends-of-wi-society/
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