Whisky: Arran 17 Year (1999), Cadenhead's

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 55.2%

Cask: Bourbon Hogshead

Age: 17 Years (Distilled 1999, Bottled 11 May 2017)

Nose: Tropical fruit, preserved citrus, honey, a kiss of salt, sweet cereal grains, shortbread cookies, beach sand, more and more tropical fruit.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied, oily, tropical citrus, vanilla, salt, shortbread cookies, more minerals and herbs at the end.

Finish: Medium-length with citrus rind, salt, and minerals.

Score: 7+

Mental Image: Natty Vibes in Concert

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was vibrant and fruity, with tropical notions of mango, pineapple, and golden kiwi to go with preserved citrus slices— lemon, orange, and persimmon. A kiss of salt, brown sugar, honey, and star anise opened to sweet cereal grains and shortbread cookies; a passionfruit shortbread cookie, perhaps? Beach sand, guava, and hints of coconut amped up the tropical vibes with more time. Medium to full-bodied and surprisingly oily on the palate with tropical citrus, vanilla, and shortbread. Lemon and orange arrived with white pineapple, hints of peach, and pomelo in tow. As the fruit faded, vanilla, salt, and buttery shortbread cookies arrived. Toward the end, the impression of beachside salt and sand grew with hints of herbal tea. The finish was medium-length with mellow citrus rind, salt, and a beachy minerality.

Lovely! This reminded me quite a bit of the old Arran 17 Year, a special edition during their countdown to the first 18-year release. I fell in love with Arran after tasting that bottle, and the next day I searched multiple spirit shops for Arran. I swore I had seen bottles everywhere, but I came up largely empty-handed. It turns out the distillery had switched US importers, and the supply chain from Lochranza to my humble island retailers had been reset. Cadenhead’s reproduced a bit of that magic on this one, and I loved it.

The aroma was loaded with beautiful tropical vibes, though I wish more of those came through on the palate. The profile felt a bit simple, a tad citrusy, and occasionally prickly with spirit on the back end. Water helped bring out more distinct fruit, but underlined a mild bitterness on the herbal and oak notes at the end. Overall, despite some shortcomings, I enjoyed this. It was my first Arran in quite a while, and hopefully, my next one won’t be so far away!

Image Credit: Arran Whisky.com