For five long years, they kept releasing fresh batches of this
bottling, and because it doesn't have an age statement you
could never know for certain if a bottle you bought in 2002
contained malt whisky that was three or seven years old.
When I tried my first one in 1998 I was pleasantly surprised.
My score of 61 points is actually pretty good for a 3yo malt.

Along the way Arran released some 'special' bottlings like the 'Painters' series
and the 'Robert Burns' shown below, but the lack of any further information on
the actual age of these bottles kept me from investing much money in them.
The fact that they demanded handsome ransoms for these 'special' bottlings
that couldn't have been that old (or good) has tempered my enthusiasm for
this distillery for a while, but by 2003 the 'Non-Chillfiltered' bottling appeared.

Almost a decade after being opened in 1995, a few different
versions of Arran became available to the public around 2003.
For many years the only widely available expression has been
the standard NAS version, released for the first time in 1998.

And this time I could actually notice some improvement.
A score of 67 points still isn't an astronomical score by
any stretch of the imagination, but it's the section of
my Hit List where I'm starting to have some real fun.
I won't be running to the liquor store the next time they
release another new bottling, but if they were smart
enough to save up enough of the first casks (and I
suspect they were) the future looks quite bright.

Things started to look really sunny when Arran entered the Awards in 2004.
They submitted two 'single cask' bottlings that both earned a bronze medal.
I wouldn't be surprised if Arran came up with a really interesting whisky in just
three or four years time. By the way, their Lochranza blend isn't half bad either;
I can't say I really 'love' it (50 points), but I like it better than many mainstream blends
like J&B and William Lawson, that much is certain. And pretty good value too here in Holland.
The only potentially disturbing element in Arran's success story is the relatively large quantity of single malt and blended whisky that has already been bottled and sold at a young age. Arran has a substantial production capacity of 750,000 litres per year, but they presently only produce a fraction of that; 125,000 litres. Will there be enough casks left by the time the spirit reaches its prime in a few years time - and did they use decent casks?

Below you can find the tasting notes on some of the Arran malt whiskies I tried.
However, I'll start with my notes for a 'spirit' that technically isn't whisky.
It wasn't matured for the legally required minimum of three years...

Arran 1yo 1996 Spirit (61.5%, OB, 5cl) - sample from Andries Visser, January 2005
Nose: Sweet & grainy. Quite pleasant in the front of the nose, but not really in the back.
I was almost enjoying myself for a few seconds, but then it quickly grows dull and fairly harsh.
Taste: Hmmm.... Not too bad at all in the start. Bug, sweet and fruity. Quite harsh in the centre.
This doesn't feel very refined, but for a 1yo spirit it's quite impressive. Reminds me of the Lot 40.
I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised with the start; unfortunately, it falls apart quite quickly.
Score: 45 points - although I actually contemplated a score above 50 points for a few seconds.

Arran NAS (43%, OB, Bottled +/- 1998, Sherry Casks, L9:243:S10 99:13185 11:00, 70cl)
Nose: Oily and creamy - like Isle of Jura. Grain? Banana's and some peppery elements as well.
A little sweet. A pinch of salt. A little smoke and some nuttyness later on. Quite interesting.
Not bad at +/- 3 yo. It picks up slightly after a while, but never reaches recommendable levels.
Taste: Watery. Smooth with a malty burn, then a toffee sweetness. Dry and bitter finish. Tea?
Score: 61 points - it seems we'll have to wait a few more years...

Arran NAS (43%, OB, Bottled +/- 2001, Sherry casks, Code L9:298:S10 99/15031 14:08, 70cl)
Nose: Oily & spirity. Sweeter & maltier over time.Very (and I mean very) faint hints of peat & smoke.
Taste: Malty and a little bitter. Short finish. Should do better in the summer.
Score: 63 points - not a lot of character, but easily drinkable compared to a blend.

Arran NAS 'Non-chillfiltered' (46%, OB, Bottled +/- 2003)
Nose: Nutty. Sweet and malty at first - light and very pleasant. Oatmeal? Quite accessible.
Wait a minute - now it's growing oilier and grainier. The complexity vanishes after a while.
I like it better than the normal NAS version but after a few minutes I still found it a tad boring.
Taste: Starts off rather weak, uneven and bitter. Sweeter centre - not altogether unpleasant.
Unfortunately, the finish is dry and very bitter. Bad wood? It loses quite a few points there.
Score: 67 points - I had my first dram at 71 points but my second opinion was less positive.
The whisky shows potential (more than I thought) but in the end it's just too neutral for me.
But the slightly higher proof works, I imagine this could work even better at 50% or even C/S.
Or how about increasing the PPM - that seems to work for the Ledaigs distilled at Tobermory.

Arran NAS Marsala Finish (56.9%, OB, Bottled 22/10/04).
Nose: Quite gentle, but spicy too. This shows something clearly 'winey'.
Faint dried apples. It opens up a bit with time. Probably the 'richest' Arran.
Taste: Sweet, spicy and a little winey. It really fits the nose like a glove.
A little sweeter with water. This really does quite well on the palate.
Score: 81 points - yes, it definitely seems Arran is reaching maturity.
Much more interesting than any 'deluxe' Robert Burns edition...

Arran 1996/2004 Single Cask (58.7%, OB, 311 bottles)
Blasted! I accidentilly poured it into a glass filled with quite a lot of water!
Nose: Oily, more organics after a few seconds. Then spices, becoming more 'oriental'.
Not a lot of excitement at first, although it seems to open up slowly. Wet clay?
Taste: Flat and weak. Light and fruity. But is that the water or the malt?
Preliminary impression: Lower 70's. Could it be I added too much water?
Second sampling: Hey, is that a hint of peat in the nose? Hmmm, now it's gone.
But now it shows lots of organics, that's for sure. Spicy and very fruity on the tongue.
Score: 78 points - it has plenty of flaws, but I liked it much better during my 2nd try.
Hey, hey - this is one of the very best Arrans I've tried so far!

Arran 1996/2004 Single Cask (59.3%, OB, 250 bottles)
Nose: Another oily one. Maltier, nuttier and sweeter after a while - but not a lot.
Faint hint of distant soap perfume. Lux? Hmm... Nothing really stands out in this one.
Taste: Remarkably sweet at first. Big fruity centre. Very pleasant. Quite a burn.
Preliminary impression: Mid-70's - but given enought time it might reach the upper 70's.
Second sampling: Once again grain and oil in the nose. Soapier on the palate. Aspirin?
Score: 73 points - this one reveals quite some unattractive traits on closer inspection.
Not quite as pleasant as the other one, but still very surprising.
 

Check out my Track Record for a complete and up-to-date overview of all 'siplings' I've tried.
 
 
 

Trivia about Arran: During the construction of the distillery a pair of Golden Eagles built their nest on a nearby cliff. Since Golden Eagles are a protected species construction of the distillery was temporarily halted.