Arran Machrie Moor

I’m going to go ahead and post this review under the standard Machrie Moor listing, even though my bottle was from the 8th batch (released in 2018). I don’t see the need in creating another listing here as I probably won’t buy another bottle of this- not because it’s bad, quite the opposite, it’s a solid dram. I just don’t see the need to revisit it. This review is for Batch 8, released in 2018. It’s a very cheap, NAS peated whisky from Arran distillery. It’s bottled at 46% and I believe I paid around $33 for a bottle from an online, UK whisky shoppe. The appearance is pale yellow and its oily in the Glencairn with lots of thick legs and big, heavy droplets. The nose and palate mimic each other quite well: it’s a cornucopia of orchard and tropical fruits, sweet smoke and young spirit. There’s some light menthol flavors battling with the pepper spice of the oak casks on the back end of both the nose and tongue. The bite from the youthful whisky doesn’t transfer to the finish, which is a wonderful trait that really makes the dram so palatable as a whole. It doesn’t have much of a lengthy finish, it’s short/briny/dry with a little lingering smoke if you just let it be. Overall, this is a wonderful, peated dram if you’re in the mood for a quick hit that definitely doesn’t hurt your wallet. The fruits and soft smoke also make for an excellent beginners peat whisky experience- I imagine it would be even easier for a novice if you cut it down with a little water, but I like it as it is. 3.75 stars for a great deal, easy accessibility and quality. It couldn’t hurt keeping a bottle of this at the bar all the time and if I wasn’t always looking for newer things I’d probably do just that. Try/buy with confidence. Cheers.

Arran tasting night at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 12 July 2019. Whisky #6 Nose: Fruity and light with tropical juice notes (pineapple, mango), grassy cereal aromas and a little vanilla toffee. The smoke note is mild and fragrant. Palate: The arrival is crisply sweet and smoky with citrus fruit, pineapple and malted barley. More smoke appears in the development, but it remains delicate and restrained, and as the palate opens some light gingery spice is apparent. There is a touch of vanilla and a savory/sweet note like salted caramel milk chocolate. The smoke character is omnipresent, but understated. Finish: Medium. Smoky and very slightly briny but not dry. The lingering aftertaste is sweet smoke. This is a charming and demure smoky single malt that is notable for its sweet, crisp fruity profile. The smoke character is peaty (rather than woody or ashen) but it is mild and restrained - this is not a stereotypical peat monster and those looking for a south-east coastal Islay style of smoke will be very disappointed. The peating level is around 20ppm and the distillery uses peated malt from the mainland. The most similar profiles I can think of are Glenglassaugh Torfa and Benromach Peated, but they are much more forceful drams and do not have the fruitiness of the Arran spirit. It takes water very well, developing a sweet creaminess but no plasticine notes, however it is also very good neat. I like this gently peated whisky and I’ve enjoyed several Machrie Moor expressions over the years, both the 46% and cask strength editions. I’m the first to admit that it is not a particularly complex or challenging malt - but not every whisky has to be like that and sometimes a gentle dram is just right for the moment. NOTE: From 2010-2017 this single malt was issued as an annual “Edition”, with the edition number and year of issue printed on the front label. This practice ceased with Edition 8 in 2017/18 and as of late 2018 Machrie Moor has been part of the core range and the label no longer shows an edition or year of issue. The same is the case for the Cask Strength version of Machrie Moor, which is also now part of the core range. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)