Distillery/Brand: Arran
Region : Islands
ABV: 53.1%
Colour: Pale Straw

Nose: 22
Taste: 22
Finish: 22
Balance: 22

Review
I’ve not had a lot of Arran malts but the ones I’ve had have been quite nice. There was a 1996 Single Cask I had a while ago which blew my mind. So I was enthused to give this one a go. Lovely packaging with gorgeous graphics on a black bottle gives this one full marks for presentation.

It has a strong malty nose with a touch of raisiny sweetness. Followed by crushed white grapes on a grassy morning sprinkled with all kinds of herbs. And cool cucumber. Like being on a picnic.

A clean delivery brings an attack of honey, wet grass, white pepper with a droplets of woody lemon. No real flaws except maybe I would have liked it to be a bit chewy.

The finish, too, is fresh with the gentlest of aniseed.

This is a nice malt which ticks of most of the right boxes. However, when you have a jet black bottle with an angry flying demon and big bold red letters then you’re expecting something dark, complex and brooding. But that’s not the case.

This malt is like forcing a young schoolboy with a sunny disposition to wear goth clothes and dark makeup.

Rating: 88