Arran 14 Years Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Arran

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Region: Islands

Age: 14 Years 

ABV: 46%

Colour: Medium Amber/Pale Gold

Nose: Fresh, Crisp, Fruity and Buttery with Malt, Vanilla, Citrus, Oak, Banana, Brown Sugar, Apple, Raisins, Toffee/Caramel and hints of Leather, White Grapes, Melon and Grappa. While Nosing the Arran the hit Summer Sunshine by the Corrs (2004) popped up in my mind. If you know the song, you get the feeling!

Taste: Dryer than expected with Oak, Spices (Pepper and Nutmeg), Citrus, Salted Nuts, Malt, Caramel and a hint of Dark Orange-flavoured Chocolate.

Finish: Middle Long combination of Sweet and Sour with Buttered Toast, Malt, Pepper, Brown Sugar, Cocoa, Lemon, Mint and Pineapple. Pinch of Salt.

I added a few drops of Water and you get more Citrus, Oak, Malt and hints of Brine and Honey on the Nose. Palate and Finish become spicier and you get lots of Lemon. Nice to play with a bit of Water here.

Rating:  85 

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21- Overall: 21

General Remarks: The Isle of Arran in Lochranza at the Isle of Arran is a very young and independent distillery. The first spirit was produced in 1995. The Arran 14 was released in late 2010 and replaced the 12 Year Old as the Standard Bottling. It matured in a combination of American Oak Barrels and Ex-Sherry Casks. During the last two years the whisky was transferred to fresh barrels (2/3 American Oak and 1/3 European Oak). The Whisky is distilled from un-peated malted Barley, does not contain E-150 and is non Chill-Filtered.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: The Arran 14 Years is a very pleasant crisp Summer Dram. Sip this neat on your balcony or terrace or enjoy it with a bit of Ice. The Palate and Finish are dryer than the Nose would like you to believe. But the combination of Lemon, Spice, Mint and Salted Nuts is just what the doctor ordered on a nice Summer Day!

Jan van den Ende                                                              November 14, 2012