Whisky : Arran 7 Year; Van Wees Cask Selection “Very, Very, Very Well Matured Sherry Cask”

Country/Region : Scotland/Islands

ABV : 59.2%

Cask : First Fill Sherry Hogshead

Age : 7 Years (Distilled 12 Dec. 2011, Bottled 8 July 2019)

Palate : Lovely waxy mouthfeel with an intense burst of fruit as bright raspberries and maraschino cherries flood out.  Milk chocolate, ribbons of caramel, and a kiss of salty dried nuts hide behind the fruit.  On the back end sweet are baking spices— nutmeg and cloves— along with black tea.

Palate : Lovely waxy mouthfeel with an intense burst of flavors: bright raspberries and maraschino cherries flood out.  Milk chocolate, ribbons of caramel, and a kiss of salty dried nuts hide behind the fruit.  On the back end sweet are baking spices— nutmeg and cloves— along with black tea.

Finish : Lingering caramel and coffee.

Score : 7

Mental Image : Christmas Candies 

Something Better : Bowmore 26Y French Oak Barrique (similar Christmas chocolate/spice, more salt/peat)

Something Similar : Arran 9Y LMDW Private Cask (similar fruits, less chocolate/sugars, more hebal)

Something Worse : Glendronach 12Y (similar chocolate/spice, more apple/molasses, less complex)

Notes : The label on this was as descriptive as it was unimaginative— not that everyone need hit SMWS levels of absurdity (or playfulness).  So was this a 3X-Very Well Matured Sherry Cask Arran?  I remain on the fence— I suppose it depends what Van Wees was going for with the description.  It was certainly a sherry bomb in that the nose and palate are totally driven by sherry cask notes with the tropical fruit and maltiness of Arran pushed to the background.  It was neither ‘mature’ in terms of being tame/smooth nor rich in complexity, nor did it have an unctuous finish that lasted long after the last drop was gone.  

Overall, this was a perfectly wonderful young Arran and really showcased how well the young malt can still carry a heavily sherry cask without totally being lost in the mix.  I only wish I could sample this against the La Maison du Whisky 9 Year heavily sherried Arran I tried last year— that would be a brillant side by side tasting.