Two official Arran bottlings. The first is the second release in the Signature series. In a first phase this rested in ex-bourbon casks and then in peated Koval Quarter casks.
The other one is a Private Cask bottling exclusive to The Netherlands, through importer van Wees. They chose an 8 year old sherry hogshead.
Arran 11 yo – Barrel Bonfire (50%, OB ‘Signature Series’ 2024, Edition 2, 42ppm peated quarter casks, 14.822 btl.)
Nose: dry bonfire smoke indeed, with juicy fruit underneath, mostly yellow plums, sweet pears and hints of orange juice. Vanilla sets in, maybe a hint of barbecued pineapple. A hint of roasted hazelnut and chocolate ganache in the background.
Mouth: rather spicy, with a peppery onset. In a second wave there’s sweet fruit compote. Pears again, peaches, as well as some grapefruit after a while. Campfire smoke and charcoal notes, along with toasted oak, hints of herbal tea and vanilla. Always a refreshing tart element too.
Finish: medium length, still warmly smoky, with herbs, cinnamon and light lemon.
Simply a nice Arran. The innate fruitiness still manages to stay in focus, even with the peated layer. Still available from TyndrumWhisky or Royal Mile Whiskies, among other retailers.
Arran 8 yo 2014 (60,2%, OB ‘Private Cask’ for The Netherlands 2023, sherry hogshead #2014/1465, 315 btl.)
Nose: a bit hot, and more closed than I expected. Peppery notes mixed with cherries and toffee. Caramelized hazelnut. Then a slightly fragrant / floral hint of fresh wood shavings comes out, along with a faint sour hint of sandalwood. Broken pine branches as well.
Mouth: full bodied, rather hot again. Oak spice stands out. Then toasted notes, croissants and drops of cappucino. Dark berries, adding a nice sour edge. In the end a herbal bitterness comes forward, with more coffee beans.
Finish: medium long, with a little astringency of the wood, along with liquorice, ginger and tobacco.
A bit rough, in my opinion. A modern, seasoned sherry cask, with a lot of newish wood shining through. Perhaps still a few bottles out there in the Netherlands. Score: 82/10