18 February 2014 Ruben Arran

Arran Millennium Casks

Name: Arran Millennium Casks
Brand: Arran
Rating: 3.5 (2 reviews)

This Arran Millennium Casks was distilled on the 31st of December 1999 and filled on both sides of the millennium switch (so technically a multi-vintage release). It is a composition of 45 casks: 35 ex-bourbon hogsheads and the rest ex-sherry. The label is decorated with a picture of Janus, the two-headed Roman God.

The release was intended for charity: £1 of each sale goes to the Arran Trust, which funds projects that deal with landscape preservation and environmental care on the Isle of Arran.

Arran Millennium Casks
(53,5%, OB 2013, 7.800 btl.)

Nose: classic apple notes and candied citrus, with sweet barley. Fruity, vibrant and clean, like most Arran these days. Some whitecurrant and vanilla cake. A growing hint of oak as well.

Mouth: fresh, lots of oranges and apples again, maybe tangerine liqueur too. Sweet melons. Honey. Cinnamon. Quite sweet and creamy, faultless whisky really. I would say it’s mostly the bourbon casks doing the talking.

Finish: medium long, still very pleasantly fruity, leaving an oaky warmth and toffee sweetness.

A very solid dram, very tasty and full-bodied. The Millennium thing may be a gimmick but at least you can’t fault the whisky. Around € 80.

Score: 86/100

7Comments

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1

Roberto Sikora on 18 February 2014 at 10:27

Thank you for the nice review. I found it very pleasant as well, that´s why I bought two bottles of it. This is a nice drinking whisky with some edges that fit well in, in my opinion.
2

kallsakander on 18 February 2014 at 13:01

Hi there,

just for correctness… if you care for things like that…

The New Millenium began on 01.01.2001. Why ? Because the old one ended on 31.12.2000.

But it is a very good Arran.

Greetings
kallaskander
3

sjoerd972 on 18 February 2014 at 13:57

I also like that this more or less proves that a nicely packaged whisky doesn’t have to cost € 200. Of course it’s the booze that counts, but in this case it all looks nice and doesn’t cost the world. Nicely done, Arran!
4

WhiskyNotes on 18 February 2014 at 14:04

I believe there are two views on that, kallaskander, and the more popular belief (not saying this is correct) is that the switch is made 1999/2000. In any case Arran seems to follow this view.
5

Kallaskander on 18 February 2014 at 17:01

Hi there,

yes I know and it is so much more romantic.
But nevertheless 2000 was the last year of the 20. century bringing it to a conclusion on 31st December.
Sad but true 😎

Greetings
kallaskander
6

sjoerd972 on 18 February 2014 at 17:14

For full info, this is because the year 0 didn’t exist when our calendar was made. It was accepted into it later. This just means that our calendar started at year 1. Result is that technically 2001 is the first year of the new millennium. On the other hand, no one cares…
7

Ricardo on 19 February 2014 at 04:44

I appreciate good reviews for all these new Scotch distilleries because I want them to be successful. My last Arran was the Bere Barley (8 YO) which I would also rate 86. So good spirit at a realistic price which is always a plus.

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