Arran Quarter Cask "The Bothy"

A quarter cask is a 125 litre oak barrel, that of course has more influence of the wood itself in the final flavor of the whisky, because there is a lot more oak for less whisky. This is important for everyone to know before talking about this very good Cask Strength expression from one of my favorite distilleries, Arran. Arran tends to have a fairly tropical spirit, and i am very curious to find out how a Quarter Cask can change some of the typical Arran profiles. Bottled at 56.2%abv, pale straw color. On the nose, the tropical notes are here, but enhanced. Pineapple, coconut, vanilla, lotion for burnt skin, cake fondant. After a first sip, the aroma changed into Tylenol and red fruits. On the palate, there are less than a handfull of tasting notes, but they are awesome. It tastes exactly as a cherry topping over a creamy "dulce de 3 leches". Chocolate, vainilla. Maraschino cherries. Super sweet. Aftertaste was very spicy and nice. Wasabi explosion. Vanilla, dulce de leche, salt and sulphur. Metallic notes. Rum and raisins. Overall, this is a very good single malt, very hard to beat at the price it is sold, which is not expensive at all. A great nose is followed by a hyper sweet palate and a spicy finish. I really believe that this is an offering that will always make you happy. My score for it is 90 over 100.

Strong and fruity

Nose is bright citrus fruits, caramel/toffee sweetness. Palate: thomped with fresh, juicy green apples and pineapple, it's spicy and vanilla-sweet; and proofy! Dry oak spice and barrel tannin bitterness finishes. It is slightly thin for abv - enjoyable. The longer it aerates and warms, the more the sweet, juicy apples intensify.

It has a nice body and goes down easy for the proof but the sherry profile comes off with almost an ethyl acetate profile. Maybe my palate was having an off night. I’ll try the bottle again in a few days. But for now it’s a pass.

3.5 stars - Very good; 750 ml bottle This is a much more polished version of the 10 yr. Despite being 10% ABV higher, it is easier to drink neat. All the same flavors are there, but more refined and a bit muted. Given how it is finished, I thought there would be more oak and bourbon like flavors. All things considered, I prefer the raw power of Arran 10 yr. Easy to drink neat, but one ice cube unlocks a lot of flavor.