TL:DR: Integrity presentation delivers the goods. Like a punchy, intense pineapple & yellow fruit bowl, dressed with lime, dark sugar and spice.
Vote*: 7, Very good indeed
*Votes are based on the scoring scale used by Dramface, slightly modified to allow half-points
For my second Bourbon cask-influenced dram, I am going to review the Arran 10 year old. This single malt from the Isle of Arran is popular and it is a fully integrity-presented whisky. After a succession of 40% single malts, I am feeling ready to take the plunge for something potentially more challenging, but also possibly more rewarding.
Arran, or more properly the Lochranza distillery, is the last distillery opened in the XX century and one of the only 3 single malt distilleries which bravely started operations in Scotland in the 30 year gap between 1975 and 2005. If you are wondering why this was, check this article on the whisky loch. This period of oversupply, of at least 15 distilleries shutting down permanently and more temporarily was generally a time of doom and gloom period for single malt scotch.
Arran 10 is undoubtedly one of the darlings of the online single malt whisky community. It has won for three years running the award for best value single malt in the Online Scotch Whisky Awards. Unlike other awards, this reflects, more than any award out there, the opinion of informed whisky consumers. Considering the competition is certainly not made of slouches, it is saying something. As you can imagine my expectations for the Arran 10 review were sky high.
Arran 10 year old
Specs
Price paid: 41.70€
Lot/bottled date: 16.07.22
ABV: 46%
Natural colour: Yes
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Casks used: Not stated but the consensus is that it is mostly bourbon barrels with some proportion of sherry aged spirit.
Tasting
Neck pour: Nice but not sure I get the fuss. It is sunny and fruity with some malt and citrus, but somewhat generic. Is the hype unjustified?
… about 4 weeks and 3 drams later I went back to my Arran 10 bottle to do a more structured review
Colour: Dark gold
Aromas: This has really opened up with some air contact in the bottle! Some banana notes to start, quickly turns into rich pineapple & ripe yellow fruits. There is lime, brown sugar, vanilla, white pepper and ginger. With more time in the glass, the fruit notes are more defined – mango, peach and melon. There is a hint of overripe fruitiness and barley in the background. After about 15 minute some oaky wood notes and a touch of raisins become more evident, though well integrated in the fruity notes.
Taste: Definitely packs a punch compared to previous drams. Having plodded along with 40% whiskies, there is more alcohol burn and a lot more mouthfeel. A lot of malt, dark sugar, more oak than on the nose and an underlying taste of pineapple
Finish: The fruit comes back, maybe even funky overripe fruit, dark sugar, lime and pepper. The aftertaste is quite citrusy, lime and oak with a hint of pineapple.
How does it behave with a drop of water?
If you are wondering what Scotch mist looks like, take a peef at this picture of my Arran 10 dram, with 2 ml of water, after 5 minutes in the freezer on a very hot day.
Water mellows this whisky down significantly. The aromas are more peach and orange, more cereal and an almost buttery/creamy undertone. The taste is predominantly malt, brown sugar and lemon, with no oak and just a little spice. The finish stays pretty long with a touch of anise at the end. Overall I prefer the Arran 10 without water, but it is not disappearing like pretty much all the bottles tried up to now have done.
Conclusions
As I mentioned in the neck pour note, initially I really didn’t get the fuss. When I cracked the bottle open and tried my first (and second… and third) dram, I was less than impressed. I really started to doubt many of the Arran 10 groupies in the online community. I left the bottle for a while and when I took another pour I thought I had picked a different bottle by mistake. Surprising to discover how some time and oxygen can improve a whisky!
This is the best dram I tried in my journey up to now If I needed an example of why the concept of integrity presented whisky is popular, this is it. Yes, the higher abv can come across as hot if you are used to 40% bottles. Even for a relative novice like me, the trade off is worth it. The intensity of aromas and taste, the satisfying mouthfeel and the added complexity are a noticeable step up in enjoyment. Even from a purely hedonistic point of view, the mix of aromas in this dram is of mass appeal making it an extremely likeable dram. Considering this bottle can be found at an even cheaper price than what I paid (30—35€ on offer), this is fantastic value.
A brief brand ramble
Before I finish this review, please allow me a small brand-related ramble. Arran’s packaging design is one of my favourites, from the styling and small easter eggs included, to the inclusiveness of the brail lettering on both the label and outer tube. Pardon the brief branding rambling for a moment.
This new look and feel was introduced in 2019 and it is a huge improvement from the older, dated look the distillery was offering until then. One of the images you find on both labels and cap is a stylised outline of the isle of Arran containing two golden eagles to remind of the pair of golden eagles who chose to nest near the distillery construction site in 1994, stopping works due to their protected status. I am sure at the time the owners were less than pleased, but it seems to have brought good luck to Lochranza and it is nice to see the reference prominently on the new packaging.
I always find it interesting, after writing my tasting notes, to look at other opinions.
Here are a few other reviews of the Arran 10 year old I enjoyed:
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