The Whisky Agency Arran 2002 Aged 17 Years

Style: Sweet and Fruity

Rating: ☆+ [Recommended]

Nose:

Spiritus, half-green tropical fruits and white peaches interlaced at the forefront. Light molten white and milk chocolate heavily dusted with kinako powder, a very interesting character, quite "Japanese" in some way. Mitarashi dango sweet soy glaze touched on a blossoming fruity core. Mint stalks building around a slightly milky and delicate fairy floss. Ending with a nice honeyed malt.

Palate:

Multiple fruits - tropical fruits and white peaches shining beautifully on touchdown, absolutely delicious. More soy presence, kinako dust now twinkling, some taros, assorted fruits plating around Japanese mochi. Fragrant peaches opening up at the core, overripe apples, soy beans, oatmeal, cornflakes, honey-glazed malt with spice rumbling gently underneath. A drier barley tail at the back.

Finish:

Fruits in more baked form, light soy bean paste, a clean malt finish.

Thoughts:

A very interesting interpretation of Arran which displayed an unexpected “soy-esque” side of the expression. Not sure whether it is a hidden facet of the distillate, or just a relatively special cask, but that character has added an extra layer of complexity to the delicate fruit-confectionary sweetness. Perhaps slightly on the technical side, but personally I find it very enjoyable.

[49.2% | Independent Bottling | 2002 Distilled | 2020 Bottled | 185 Bottles | Barrel | Single Cask | Cask Strength | Non Coloured | *+]

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