Arran Sauternes is one of the experimental wood finishes that existed very early in the history of the distillery. Since then it has grown to become a core range expression, now in the new branding and bottle design.
Initially matured in traditional ex-bourbon casks, it is finished in Sauternes wine casks sourced from an artisan producer of this iconic Bordeaux sweet white wine.
Arran Sauternes Cask Finish (50%, OB 2020)
Nose: a very sweet nose, showing the typical notes of Sauternes. Honey, tinned pineapples, hints of banana and melon. Fragrant nectarines and white grapes. Vanilla pastry. There’s a very light floral and earthy note in the background, as well as a light alcoholic touch.
Mouth: sweet and honeyed again, now with extra marzipan and simply sweet wood. Sweet ginger and lemon syrup. The floral side is back, and after a while this merges with resinous notes and hints of white pepper. While there’s a lot of sweetness, the woody side balances it out.
Finish: quite long, still quite candied, toned down by ginger and other spices.
A fine sip but less refined than other Arran expressions. Thick and slightly overdone in terms of both the syrupy sweetness and the (fragrant) woody character, so probably not for everyone. Check The Whisky Exchange or Master of Malt among others.