Scotch Whisky Review #296: The Arran Malt Peated Spirit from Sherry Hogsheads 6 Year Drinkmonger & Royal Mile Whisky Exclusive (2012)

Distillery: Arran

Region: Island

Age: 6 Year. Distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2019.

ABV: 54.2%

Cask Type: Sherry Hogsheads

Price: £52.50

Color: 1.6, Mahogany/Henna Notes. Natural Color and Non-Chill Filtered.

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Nose: Oh it’s definitely peated alright. It’s quite smokey and you can smell it before your nose even gets to the glass. There’s a beautiful savory note of smoked meats, it’s like walking into a barbecue restaurant. The sherry creeps in behind the savory notes with a little bit of fruit joining it in the form of apples. A note of salty sea breeze wraps things up.

Palate: The sherry comes through really strong here. It’s not quite a sherry bomb level but you really don’t get anything else beyond sherry and oak. With water, the oak dissipates and all you’re left with is the sherry.

Finish: Medium to long in length. There’s a sweet peat note, which is surprising from something so young. A sugary honey glazed salmon pops up with a bit of smoke. With water, there’s a really delicious and meaty note of peated malt. It’s almost like a dinner biscuit that’s soaked up the juices off of a really lovely steak.

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Conclusion: Arran has become one of the few distilleries where I’ll almost instinctively trust whatever they put out (long may that continue). The one question mark for me with them has been with their peated whiskies. Their standard peated release, Machrie Moor, wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy, especially in comparison to the rest of the line up. This sherry cask peated release, however, is fantastic. The nose builds up this absolutely combination of savory and slightly sweet notes with juicy meats, sherry, and a bit of salt. The finish, especially after water is added, is mouth watering-ly juicy. The palate, however, is a little bit of a let down. Perhaps it’s just muted in comparison to what came before and after, but I’m left wishing for more. Still, it’s a really delicious package on the whole.

Final Score: 84.

Scotch Whisky Review #296, Island Review #46, Whisky Network Review #439

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Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.