Tag Archives: Arran

2025 Whisky Show – Arran

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Day 2 of our 2025 London Whisky Show began with a bang. Intended to be a light starter, we found ourselves instead going straight to +50% with two special editions from Arran’s Lochranza Distillery!

We had a chance to test a new approach to our whisky show wanderings… We brought an extra glass for the satchel – reserved exclusively for peated drams! It was such a success, henceforth we will clearly adopt this method – one glass for unpeated, one for peated!

We shared with our whisky guide our familiarity with nearly all expressions on the table except these two:

  • Arran 12 Year Signature Series 3 Duero Discovery 50% 2025 Whisky Show GBP 81.25
  • Arran 15 Year Rare Batch Peated Sherry Butts 54.4% 2025 Whisky Show GBP 144

So we dove right in…

Arran 12 Year Signature Series 3 Duero Discovery 50%

  • Nose – Delicious dark berries, kumquats, toffee, and salty caramel popcorn
  • Palate – Prickly, yet settled down after a moment, red cherries joined all the red berries, sweet spices, creme caramel
  • Finish – Lots of tannins – clear wine influence, nuts and more…. mmmm….

Our whisky guide shared that this Signature edition was initially matured for 6 years in 1st fill and 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrels, then transferred to 1st fill Red Wine cask from the Duero River in northern Spain, to spend another 6 years further maturing in Warehouse No 4.

Arran 15 Year Rare Batch Peated Sherry Butts 54.4%

  • Nose – Mmmmm smoky sweet, fresh seaside breeze
  • Palate – Well-rounded, peat and sweet, beautifully balanced, subtle sherry influence
  • Finish – Long, lingering, and warm

Remarkable! For us to dive straight into such high ABV so early in the day – and that too with peat – was a clear departure from our normal pattern! And yet, somehow it worked!

PS – Our whisky guide shared that this limited edition expression was peated to 20 ppm.

So why did we skip the “standards”? Well… Putting it mildly, we’ve had more than a few Arran experiences over the years… I even managed to make it to both the Lochranza and Lagg Distillery in 2020!

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Whisky Show 2024 – Arran

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At the 2024 London Whisky Show, we were looking for a wee palate cleanser between some remarkable Chichibu Japanese whiskies and our next stop – Compass Box. We strolled past the stand with Arran and simply had to pause!

For those new to Whisky Lady, over the years we’ve become rather partial to the unpeated drams from Lochranza Distillery from Isle of Arran. So much so that I’ve even managed to tour the entire island – all the way from Lochranza to Lagg distilleries.

Arran 13 year Small Batch Port Pipes 53.2%

To be honest, I think it was a bit forceful for us. In our quick sniff and swish, we encountered a nice lemon that shifted into a pine sol? On the palate, it was prickly, quite punchy but in a good way. The finish was solid and strong.

This expression is a UK exclusive and retails for around GBP 115.

If you are curious about our Arranexplorations? There have been many!!

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Sherry Battle! Aberlour 16 year + Arran Sherry

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The battle of the Sherries came about one relaxed evening in London. We were gearing up for the Whisky Show 2023, and my host pulled out two of his favourite drams. Both sherry, both quality and still available at a reasonably accessible price point. He wanted to see which reigned supreme. Spoiler alert – both for different reasons!

  • Arran Sherry 55.8%  – Sherry meets bannoffie pie! Drunken raisins, salted caramel… Smooth with dark fruits, and sweet spices… long strong finish
  • Aberlour 16 year 40% – You would think it would be gentle at a mere 40%, however, don’t let that fool you! Full of all the wonderful sherry influenced fruits, Christmasy spices then on the palate ginger and chocolate. Yum.

For those not familiar, Aberlour is known for its consistent use of ex-Olorosso sherry casks… until they recently launched their Alba line.

Whereas Arran, from Lochranza Distillery, regularly uses a range of casks – from Bourbon to Port, from Amarone to Sauternes, and of course Sherry!

As we sampled them side by side, we reflected on how each revels in the sherry cask, with the Aberlour a bit heavier despite it being 40% and the Arran more nuanced and lively, not surprising given its cask strength.

I missed making detailed notes however simply remembered how much we enjoy both whiskies. Each would go well in any whisky cabinet.

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Paris Whisky Live 2022 – Lagg Masterclass

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I’ve made no secret of my love affair with Arran whiskies – cemented by time spent on the Island visiting both the Lochranza and Lagg Distillery. So at Paris Whisky Live, I jumped on the opportunity to explore further…

Our guide was Mariella Romano, who joined the group in 2019, and the focus of the Masterclass was to introduce the new expressions from their Lowland Lagg Distillery.

So what did we try? A trio of 1st releases with:

  • Batch 1 – Lagg 3 year 1st Fill Bourbon Cask (Summer 2023) 50%
  • Batch 2 – Lagg 3 year (30 month ex-Bourbon, 6 months Olorosso) 2023 50%
  • Batch 3 – Lagg 3 year (30 month ex-Bourbon, 6 months Roja Red) 2023 50%

We began with the Lagg 3 year 1st Fill Bourbon Cask (Summer 2023) 50% 50 PPM

  • Nose – Herbal notes to start, young, fresh mash, clean and sweet with a grassy rather than medicinal peat, a hint of heather and puff of smoke
  • Palate – Very promising, creamy with a citrus zest
  • Finish – Nicely lingers, more so than I had expected from such a young dram

What we tried was literally bottled the week before! It then officially launched in France on Oct 1, 2022 (after Paris Whisky Live!) as an inaugural limited summer release. Mariella shared that they see their peat as more “Aberdeen west coast style”, gentler than the robust peat monsters some Islay distilleries produce.

She also shared how the idea for Lagg’s full focus on peat began with their experiemnt’s with their Lochranza distillery peat expressions – like Machrie Moor and their Cask Strength. Since deciding to set-up the Lagg distillery, they have stopped producing any new peat expressions at Lochranza.

Next up was the Lagg 3 year – 30 month ex-Bourbon, 6 month Olorosso finish (2023) 50% also 50 PPM.

  • Nose – Mmmmm a chocolaty sweet peat, richer than the 1st dram with loads of dark fruit sherry notes, raisins and sweet spices
  • Palate – Very smooth – the sherry finish works wonderfully with the peat
  • Finish – A lovely cinnamon finish

Delicious! In this case, it was initially matured in bourbon casks before being finished for an additional six months in 55 liter ex-Oloroso sherry casks for 6 months. Mariella also mentioned how they used Concerto barley and peat from the North East of Scotland.

She then shared a virtual tour of the new Lagg distiellery (after some small technical hiccups!). While many interesting stories were shared, one element was the contrast between the “mountain” pure water at Lochranza distillery and Lagg distillery’s use of a borehole with distinctly different taste. Another is how important it is to have the significantly expanded space for cask storage at the new facility.

Mariella also shared that while Lochranza (Arran) whiskies are sweet and easy drinking, the intent for Lagg is not just peat but also a deliberately ‘harsher’ quality.

And with that we moved on to the last whisky, closing with Lagg 3 year – 30 month ex-Bourbon, 6 months Rioja Red 2023 50%:

  • Nose – Dry nutty element, sweet cinnamon, a bit herbal
  • Palate – Curious character – some minerals? Also a bit fruity – mostly dark berries, some oak
  • Finish – Wine followed by a cinnamon finish like the Olorosso

The peat in this was quite subtle – and the ex-Rioja red wine Firkan was a bit curious – particularly on the palate. I wish I had tried this with a bit of water, as have a feeling this one needs to open up a bit to reveal its full character.

It was terrific to have a chance to explore these early Lagg expressions. I’m curious to see how they evolve in the coming years.

In the meantime, I remain a complete fan of Lagg’s big sister Lochranza:

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Paris Whisky Live 2022 – VIP Antipodes with Arran 10 + 25 year

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Where to start? After the rather overwhelmingly long VIP line, I was finally in Paris Whisky Live and made my way to part of the VIP section. With all the crowds around the ‘popular’ Antipodes, I wandered my way to a curious one that combined whisky and beer.

Naturally, my eye quickly spotted Arran whiskies and I thought, why not warm up the palate with a friendly favourite?

Arran 10 year (05 Oct 2011 – 11 July 2022) 1st Fill Bourbon Cask 2011/1871 55.2% (LMdW Antipode bottle 163 of 224)

Knowing the Arran 10 year standard, I dove immediately into their 10-year Private Cask at cask strength – nothing like going from 0% to 55.2%!

It was exactly as expected! A lovely sunshine ex-bourbon dram with honey, fruity, cheerful cherries, berries, and more! Throw in some warm vanilla cream, a dash of slightly citrus notes closing with a sweet summery finish, What a lovely way to calibrate the palate for treats to come!

Arran 25 year (05 Aug 1996 – 11 Jul 2022) Sherry Hogshead 1996/892 51.5% (LMdW Antipode bottle 267 of 268)

I then moved on to the Arran 25 year…. This was not my 1st brush with their older whiskies, having been fortunate to try the 2020 25-year at the Lochranza distillery from the cask before it was bottled – a cask strength marvel that showcased just how carefully considered the approach was from the start. However what about this slightly later avatar?

  • Colour – Deep ruby, almost garnet
  • Nose – What a fabulous sherry bomb! Gorgeous rich character
  • Palate – Starts soft and silky smooth, then morphs into dark berries, chocolate
  • Finish – A long strong beautiful finish

What a wonderfully well-rounded mature dram. An absolute treasure!

This was no gentle start but instead going straight into the sublime! Clearly, I started my Paris Whisky Live 2022 in the right way!

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Arran Barrel Reserve 43% – Delicious ‘daily dram’ under Eur 30!

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Otherwise known as the evening that proved sometimes the cheapest dram is the best!

The same evening I finally opened a much anticipated but somewhat disappointing Glenburgie 8 year, I also brought out a few Arran bottles…

Whilst there was nothing intrinsically WRONG with the Amarone, it didn’t live up to an earlier edition which was absolutely entrancing! Whereas the Port cask finish held its own. That shared, the real star of the evening was the Barrel Reserve!

Arran Barrel Reserve 43% (EUR 28)

  • Colour – Bright gold
  • Nose – Happy fruits – starts with apple sauce, then shifts into a fragrant apple orchard on a warm summer’s day! Chased by light floral apple or cherry blossoms, then vanilla and a hint of brown sugar spice shifting into salted caramel, candied apple
  • Palate – More substance than the nose alone would indicate, now we have apple crisp, spice and a bit of wood, some salted peanuts
  • Finish – Carries through, lightly bitter but in a good way, more of that vanilla and even a bit of toasty salted peanuts mixed with the light zing at the close….

This is simply one very enjoyable dram! No fuss, no muss, just easy-drinking pleasure. It is exactly as described by the folks at Arran – fresh, light, and elegant. And above all, an excellent reminder that one doesn’t always have to spend a crazy amount of money to buy a decent drink!

I’ve returned to this as a ‘daily dram’ (though naturally, I don’t actually drink daily!), meaning the favoured “go to” whisky. It consistently rewards and I must admit, I may just order another bottle while it can be found at these prices! Bravo Arran for a solid whisky that just hits the spot!

What do the folks at Arran have to say?

Bottled at 43%, the Barrel Reserve emphasizes the delicious, sweet fruit notes which are the hallmark of our distillery. A fantastic discovery!

The brand new Barrel Reserve is a fresh, light and elegant no-age-statement Single Malt Single Barrel Scotch Whisky. It is 100% matured in Bourbon Barrels and is going to become your go-to dram for every occasion – to be served neat, with ice or in a longer drink or cocktail.

  • Nose – Delicate apples and pears
  • Palate – Beautifully balanced citrus fruit and light vanilla sweetness with a burst of apple and delicate marine notes.
  • Finish – Sweetness, Spice, Charred Oak, Citrus, Vanilla

Early 2020, we came together to enjoy an Arran Vertical – 14 year 46%, 18 year 46%, 23 year (1996/2020) Sherry Hogshead Cask No 436, 52.6%.

A year later, we explored the Arran Cask Finishes with Sauternes 50%, Amarone 50%, Port 50%, “The Bodega” Sherry Cask 55.8%.

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Getting started with Arran Lochranza Reserve 43%

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There we were – one hot sweaty April evening in Mumbai – about to kick off a tasting with a random yet remarkable range of whiskies. Just like with fine dining, it helps to have an “amuse-bouche” to whet the appetite, so we needed a whisky to ease into our evening.

I considered a few options before settling on the Arran no age statement – Lochranza Reserve. Launched in 2014, it was intended to be part of the core range as the ‘entry’ dram replacing the Arran Original, easily accessible – in terms of flavour profile, price, and availability in travel retail. Today in 2022? It has joined the Limited Edition section with just a few bottles remaining… though if purchased in the UK it is still quite reasonable – at a mere £25.

So what did we think?

Arran Lochranza Reserve 43%  

  • Nose – Hmmm… after a slightly musty start, becomes a clean, classic whisky with green apples, dry leaves and toasted oats, dry desiccated coconut, citrus, a hint of honey… also a herbal element – rosemary or thyme? Or a touch of cardamon?
  • Palate – A light spice, slightly salty and initially a bit astringent, it then shifted into more of that citrus joined by crunchy tart green apples, oak, and a dash of cream, nicely coats your tongue
  • Finish – Pink peppercorns, slightly bitter, chased by bourbon vanilla
  • Water – One would think with such a low ABV there is no need… however a splash of cool water brings out the orchard fruits and citrus after the initial spice hit settles down

Whilst the nose had a honey sweetness on the palate it deepened into a creamy caramel toffee and milk chocolate, smooth and straightforward. We weren’t expecting anything complex, however, I will admit that I had anticipated something a bit lighter. Even still, this hit the spot as a teaser of tastings to come!

What do the folks at Arran have to say about their Lochranza Reserve?

Our Lochranza Reserve is back for a short time only as the very last bottles of this edition.

This light, fresh and fruity Single Malt is bottled at 43% and is delicious on its own, with a splash of water or a bit of ice.  It is the perfect Single Malt for mixing and is a marriage of both Sherry and Bourbon matured casks.

Official distillery tasting notes:

  • Nose – Vanilla and lemon
  • Palate – Fresh Island notes. A touch of salt and sweetness
  • Finish – Citrus. Vanilla. Salty.

What else have we tried from Arran? Rather a lot as this distillery has become a clear favourite with a few of us:

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Arran Cask Finishes – Arran Port Cask Finish 50%

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Last in our evening of Arran “finishes” was the Port Cask Finish, which followed the Arran Sauternes, Amarone and Sherry.

Years ago this Port finish was my first introduction to Arran, courtesy of purchase by an actuarial friend (on condition I could reimburse!) who was in Edinburgh. I recently came across the faded receipt for £45 from Stirling Whisky Shop, near Stirling Castle… It meant so much more given I’ve now both been to that very shop and the distillery!

Today in 2022, it no longer is part of their core range… Which is a pity. While it may not be for everyone, I remembered the Port Cask Finish as a rich intense whisky that stands proud at 50% yet also works with a dash of water.

So what did we think?

Arran Port Cask Finish 50%  

  • Nose – Heavy and intense – prunes, dark rich wood, then shifted to be intensely floral, rose, vanilla, then deep forest, even some slightly sour black cherries
  • Palate – Full-bodied, tobacco, a nice spice – think more of garam masala than sweet spices alone
  • Finish – Dry, very long, with more of that light spice
  • Water –  Just a dash opens it up nicely – after the extra kick of spice subsides, it makes this more approachable, dry to ripe fruits, yet still nicely robust

This whisky was full of dark heavy elements – from the dark fruit aromas to the tobacco… there is something that makes you ‘picker up’ with this one. It also paired rather well with a Cigar,

I’ve revisited this one a couple times – it’s more intense and flavourful than I prefer for a “daily dram”.

What do the folks at Arran have to say?

A fantastic choice at any time, particularly as an after dinner dram, especially with a delicious cheese selection.

After initially maturing in traditional oak casks for approximately 8 years, The Arran Single Malt in this bottling was finished in a selection of Port casks sourced from an artisan producer of this iconic Portuguese fortified wine.

The maturation process was monitored under the watchful eye of our Master Distiller, to ensure that the Port casks and the intrinsic character of The Arran Single Malt partnered with each other perfectly. The end result is a combination that’s full of charm and rich flavour, and a wonderful way to discover more about the Arran range of Single Malts.

Official distillery tasting notes:

  • Nose – Cinnamon, baked apples
  • Palate – Vanilla spice, ripe citrus & dried fruits and nuttiness. With a splash of water more depth of mandarin citrus with fudge and honeyed notes.
  • Finish – Spice, Bitter orange, Chocolate, Cherries.

We chose to try this Port together with three other Arran whiskies:

Whilst all from this finishes series are no age statements, there was no doubt that they are well-thought-out expressions that are worthy of attention.

So far, we’ve already tried the Arran Port Cask Finish 50% together with:

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Arran Cask Finishes – The Sherry Cask 55.8%

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There are times when only a sherry bomb will satisfy. After progressing from the Arran Sauternes to Amarone, we shifted gears to the cask strength “The Bodega” Sherry finish. Just looking at the colour, there was every indication this would be one serious dram!

So what did we think?

Arran “The Bodega” Sherry Cask 55.8%

  • Colour – Deep burnt orange, almost a red copper
  • Nose – Oh my! Sherry meets banoffee pie! Rich, dry fruits, drunken raisins, intense, salted caramel, roasted almonds, dark berries, dates, a hint of leather, fruity sweet and sour cherries with a pinch of salt
  • Palate – Smooth! No burn even at 55.8% Proud and full-bodied, a complete sherry bomb, bursting with dark fruits and berries, a spark of spice, a swirl of dark chocolate and marmalade
  • Finish – Long finish with a dash of salt joining the dark dry fruits, chased by sweet dry spices
  • Water – Necessary? No. But a generous dollop opens up tames the aromas and transforms the palate into juicy ripe fruits – more plums than figs – delicious!

Well, well, well… There was absolutely no doubt this was matured in a Sherry cask. Too rich and robust for an ‘everyday’ dram, it had balance and charm. Fabulous!

What do the folks over at Lochranza have to say about The Bodega?

Sherry Cask ‘The Bodega’ is a stunning new addition to our core range of whiskies and is the perfect choice for someone who enjoys their Single Malt with plenty of body and complexity.

Matured in some of the finest casks available to the whisky industry, this cask strength Sherry matured Single Malt is both luxurious and elegant with layers of rich sweet spice and oak. Our Master Distiller has worked with producers in some of the most prestigious Sherry Bodegas in Jerez, Spain to select only the best quality casks to be filled with our precious spirit.

This bottling is a return to the style of some of the earliest Arran Single Malt, which was mostly matured in Sherry Casks.

And the official tasting notes?

  • Nose – Toffee, sweet spice and fruit
  • Taste – Ripe fig and cherries
  • Finish – Dark chocolate, Mandarins, Ripe figs.

And with that, we continued our evening exploring Arran Cask Finishes:

Currently, The Arran Sherry Cask remains available for approx GBP 46 / EUR 48.

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Arran Cask Finishes – Amarone 50%

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Oh the beautiful Arran Amarone Cask Finish… we fell in love with you back in September 2017 during a delightful Sunday sundowner… I had such fond memories I feared trying again and being disappointed.

Back in 2017, there was an announcement that the Amarone would be back soon…. it was… but then next it wasn’t, and currently, there is no update on if and when it will return… much like some of the other cask finishes like Sauternes.

However for that fine evening in early January 2022, here is what we thought of the Amarone…

Arran Amarone Cask Finish 50%

  • Colour – A lovely bright pink rose blush
  • Nose – Fresh and fruity! Raisins then red fruits… ripe raspberries and cream, sour plum and cherries… then shifted back to raspberries but this time Rogers raspberry cream soda! Then back to cherries again… and then the slightly tart cranberry…. back to raspberries… simply yum!
  • Palate – Silky smooth… tempting and teasing like Turkish delight, fruit and berry sweet, slightly gingery with a touch of pink peppercorns
  • Finish – Slightly spicy, rich, and satisfying
  • Water – Does it need it? Nope! But if you feel like adding a wee splash… it greedily marries it with the whisky to become even fruitier

Did it stand up to my romanticized notion of this whisky? It did indeed… It is like a decadent dessert, yet not cloyingly sweet. A perfect balance of its different elements, harmonious from its intoxicating aromas to captivating taste which carries through in a lingering finish.

What do the folks at Lochranza distillery have to say about their “Out of Stock” Amarone finish?

Our Arran Amarone Cask Finish is the perfect partnership of rich, red wine and our iconic Arran Single Malt taste.

After initially maturing in traditional oak casks over a number of years, The Arran Single Malt in this bottling was ‘finished’ in a selection of Amarone wine casks. The wine casks used in this bottling were sourced from an artisan producer of Amarone wine in the Veneto region of Italy.

A luxurious Italian wine meets a complex and vibrant Scottish character – there is a lot to love and appreciate about this Single Malt and you will enjoy every dram.

And the official tasting notes?

  • Nose – Cherry, turkish delight, chocolate
  • Taste – Poached pears, touch of cranberry and honey
  • Finish – Sweetness, Pears, Turkish Delight, Cherries, Dark chocolate

Would we agree? Yes indeed!

We explored this together with:

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