The Arran 17 Year Old is one of the newest expressions, released in October 2023. Usually Arran distillery releases the 18 Year Old in fall, but this year they replaced it with a slightly younger bottling. A one-off 17 Year Old. However it is still a similar blend of first-fill and second-fill sherry hogsheads with first-fill bourbon barrels.
Arran 17 yo (46%, OB 2023, sherry hogsheads + bourbon barrels, 12.000 btl.)
Nose: not a sherry bomb, but clearly in the sherry corner nonetheless. Sweet and sour apples, juicy raisins and red berry candy, with secondary hints of peaches and marmalade. Then toffee, milk chocolate, with honey. Almond biscuits. Some cinnamon dusting and just a hint of newish, fragrant sawdust.
Mouth: quite succulent again, having prominent sour notes, almost fizzy in a way. Raisins, red berries and grapes, along with orange peels and apricot. Brown sugar, light vanilla and cinnamon. Some active, youngish wood again, with light pepper, but not overdone. A bit high-pitched perhaps, lacking some of the darker sherry elements and lacking some depth altogether. Light cocoa dusting and a wee salty touch in the end.
Finish: medium length, on cherries and orange peels, with a hint of chocolate and toasted oak.
On the one hand, I really like this juicy style of sherry. On the other hand, I’m thinking the Arran DNA is lost a bit, and the depth could be better. Overall a nice whisky. Still a few bottles available, but a bit pricey.