I already mentioned the Arran Sherry Cask while reviewing its bourbon counterpart called Arran Barrel Reserve. It is part of duo that has no age statement and no fancy finish either – it is meant to express the cask influence of bourbon and sherry.
The sherry version has a similar age (7 years old) but it comes from first-fill sherry hogsheads and it is bottled at cask strength.
Arran Sherry Cask ‘The Bodega’ (55,8%, OB 2019, first-fill sherry hogsheads)
Nose: rich sherry, perfectly clean. Fresh figs and cherry liqueur, some orange peel and cinnamon. Also pepper and hints of hay. Minty notes and crystallized ginger. Subtle vanilla and floral notes too, in fact it’s rather light and youthful, not as heavyweight as some others.
Mouth: more depth, still nicely sherried, but now more on the greenish side. Ginger, pepper and clove. Oranges, raisins and red berries underneath. Then some dark chocolate and treacle, as well as hints of tobacco.
Finish: quite long, with some bittersweet notes, baking spice and hints of oak char.
An enjoyable Arran again, especially on the nose. It’s not intended to be a sherry bomb and that’s a good thing. A fine introduction to full sherry maturation. Available from The Whisky Exchange or Master of Malt for instance.