Arran Arranach Distillery Handfill D'issan Margaux
Whisky: Arran Arranach Distillery Handfill D'issan Margaux
Country/Region: Scotland/Islands
ABV: 58%
Cask: D’Issan Margaux
Age: NAS (Bottled 2021)
Nose: Big and fruity, fruit punch, dried sour plums, fruity Fanta sodas, strawberry with hints of balsamic; a mellow funk that drifted from sulfur to gorgonzola, plenty of wood underneath the fruit.
Palate: Full-bodied and tannic, rich dried fruits, dark chocolate, brown sugar, molasses, lacquered wood and sawdust, hints of mango and plum, slightly bitter burnt sugars toward the end with peppery spirit.
Finish: Medium to long, tannic and drying with wood, caramel, and a touch of bitterness.
Score: 4 (70)
Mental Image: Burnt Caramel Croutons over a Summer Salad
Narrative & Notes: Big, bold, and brash, the cask did most of the talking with this hand-fill from Arran’s Lochranza distillery. Hand-fills and distillery exclusives are the perfect special treat or souvenir to pick up on a trip. While some can be amazing, I find they resonate best when you are the one who bottled and picked up the whisky. That extra emotional attachment papers over any of the cracks or issues with the malt as you relish good memories.
I enjoyed the aroma quite a bit, even at cask strength. I found it wonderfully fruity and summery, even a bit creamy and funky at times. I was less enthused with the flavor profile which came off as overly tannic and simplistic; it cried out for a few drops of water to unlock some of those hidden aspects and dull some of the peppery spirit at the end. However, even with water, there was an unpleasant bitterness to the finish, a bit like burnt toast or burnt caramel.
Overall, I expected something more delicate and refined from Arran and a Margaux wine cask— but this was like being next to the big speakers at a dead metal concert— I really needed some better earplugs.
Image Credit: Scotch&Sheen, check out his review for a slightly more positive take!
