Whisky : Arran 17 Year

Country/Region : Scotland/Island

ABV : 46%

Cask : Ex-Sherry/Ex-Bourbon

Tasting : Neat in a square tumbler at a Birthday/Whisky Tasting Party

Nose : Sweet ripe plums and black currant jam. The aroma reminds me of a vineyard right before harvest— the air heavy with the scent of ripe grapes and their fallen overripe brothers who litter the ground. A bit of sweetness like pop-rock candy or sweet fruity chilly peppers.

Palate : Opens with the dark flavor of well spiced fruit cake before turning to a more overt tropical fruit flavor. It has the pleasing tart juiciness you get from a bite of fresh pineapple covered with li hing mui power (ground up salty pickled plum). The flavors are smooth and balanced.

Finish : Lingering soft heat, the notes of pickled and dried plum reemerge, before fading to the caramelized sugary tropical fruit flavor of pineapple upside down cake.

Score : 6

Mental Image : A bike ride on a warm early autumn morning through a vineyard, the juicy fresh aroma of ripe grapes mixes in the air with the sour fermented odor of the overrippened.

Notes : I really enjoy the balanced tropical fruit flavors that shine in many of the Arran single malts. Though in general I’ve become more skeptical of the value in throwing everything into a sherry cask (looking at you Ardbeg An Oa), I think the sort of sweet ripe fruit notes that come out of the cask pair very well with what Arran is doing. The 17 was a limited edition release celebrating a milestone in the young distillery’s life, I am glad a friend was willing to share some of their precious bottle. The closest thing to the 17 now, would probably be the 18 which was added to the core range of Arran couple of years later.