Arran 21 Year

Very elegant, complex yet delicate

Arran has become a synonym of perfection in whisky making. I often say i have never tried anything from them that haven't scored more than 88 points in my books. Recently, they revamped they whole image, with new decanters that look like a milk bottle, and simpler labels. This is the review for the 21yo Arran, from their new bottlings. Hope this is as good as their previous 21yo, with the purple/black label. On the nose it is very perfumed, with citric notes of a recently cut orange. Orange juice, melon. Herbal, school glue and hazelnut. Amazing. On the palate it is out of this world. Caramel, orange peel and red chilli. Red fruits, gooseberries. On the second sip, it gave me dehydrated fruits, turkish delight. It feels super fancy but complex. Great stuff. Aftertaste is perfect.Tobacco, burnt hay, cigarrettes and crushed almonds. Impressive. Overall, this was a fantastic dram, with such complexity that it gave me layers of different flavors and aromas. I believe that for the price point of this one, it is simply unbeatable. I am starting to believe that it is safe to say that Arran might be on the top 5 scottish distilleries nowadays. My score for this monster is 97 over 100. Absolutely spectacular.

Nose: Berries, almond honey-nut cluster muesli, sweet malt, orange liqueur, peach brandy, Turkish delight, the barest hint of sawdusty oak and a zephyr of fortified wine in the background. Palate: Very soft, sweet arrival – a bowl of ripe red berries smothered in raspberry coulis, mascarpone, vanilla custard and honey. A little ginger in sweet syrup in the development together with sweet cinnamon, milk chocolate and unroasted cashew nuts. The texture is almost syrupy. Finish: Medium. Apricots, sultanas and a little mild spice on a sweet caramel base. A soft and easily approachable whisky that will please any palate but for me it lacks character and I don’t think it is good value. It’s very pleasant, for sure, but also limited in range and no better than many whiskies at a third the price. If I were to sum this one up in one word it would be "meh". I don’t mind a straightforward sweet profile focused on fruit, even if it lacks complexity, but to me this was more akin to an easy-drinking 12 year old than a 21 year old. However, I can see why some palates would be very receptive to this subtle dram and rate it more highly. Maybe I'm just jaded and my palate is too old and battered to appreciate the nuances in this sort of whisky. Tasted from a 15ml sample “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

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