Our host confessed this Sauternes finish Arran has become his everyday drinking dram… until he discovered that this affordable, fun and easy whisky was out of stock – eek! At the time, he lamented the scarcity of this expression…. However, recently I’ve discovered it can still be tracked down in Europe. Who knows? Perhaps it will also come back as a regular cask finish expression too!
So…. what did we think?
Arran Sauternes Cask Finish 50%
- Nose – Lemony sweets, bananas, juicy fruit, green apple, grapes, honeysuckle, a hint of spice, soooo sweet… shifts into vanilla creme and slightly salty biscuits
- Palate – What a surprise! Incredibly smooth yet much more substance than anticipated… this isn’t pure sweetness and light, there’s a bit of ginger and spice, a woody warmth… yet also doesn’t lose its fruity elements either
- Finish – Subtle at first the carries on and on…. really rather nice
- Water – To add or not to add? In the end, we did and it was also lovely… amped up the spice in the most delightful way
When I think of Sauternes, the assumption is it would add a subtle sweetness to a whisky. Is that what we found here? The sweetness – yes. However, on the palate, there was an unexpected “Oomph!” of character. Which frankly made me enjoy this whisky even more! Yum!
What do the folks at Lochranza distillery have to say about their Arran Sauternes?
This sweeter side of Arran Single Malt makes an ideal dessert dram with complementary notes of apricots, melon and honeysuckle.
To achieve this rich partnership, our traditional Arran Single Malt is matured in oak casks for eight years and is then ‘finished’ in a selection of Sauternes wine casks.
These Bordeaux sweet white wine casks are specifically selected by our Master Distiller from a talented small producer to ensure the notes from both wine and whisky make the perfect marriage. If you’re looking for something that shows off the sweeter side of Arran Single Malt, this is perfect choice for you. It pairs beautifully with a creamy toffee or fudge based pudding.
And the official tasting notes?
- Nose – Honey sweetness and citrus
- Palate – Richly honeyed and backed with a lifting zestiness that slides into spice and zingy salt. Once the dram opens out, vanilla and sultana stand out followed by notes of toasted oak.
- Finish – Sweetness, Honey, Apricots, Melon, Honeysuckle.
Would we agree? Absolutely!
Here is what else we explored in our Arran quartet of:
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