ARRAN RARE BATCH 15 YEAR OLD ARGONNE CASK

Nose: Full-bodied fruity and wine aromas, modulated by some excellent wood (cedarwood and sandalwood in particular). Stewed fruit compote of apples, pears and cranberries. Honey, orange water and an elusive almost-but-not-quite ashy quality which is most likely coming from what were probably very lightly toasted wine casks. There is a rich, encompassing quality to this nose that brings you back repeatedly. It’s also not a thousand miles away from the profile of Highland Park, which is never a bad thing, and adding water creates an explosion of honey and orange making the similarity even more distinct. An outstanding nose. Palate: Full but soft arrival, with some delicate spices (sweet ginger) and fragrant herbs dancing over honey and fruit flavours. The texture is voluminous, velvety and very satisfying. Porridge with salt, cream and fresh berries in the development which transitions to softly drying tannins towards the finish. The wine notes are present again contributing sweet and fractionally bitter aspects to the foundation. With water the palate gains a luxurious aspect that makes it dangerously compelling. An excellent palate. Finish: Long. Quiet and subtle spices, honey, sweet citrus notes and freshly prepared weak rose-hip tea. There is the faintest possible citric note in the aftertaste. Water does nothing to damage the finish, in fact I thought it actually made it longer and more languid. This is a re-taste, thanks to @DrRHCMadden. I initially tried this whisky six months ago but that tasting was from a 15ml virtual tasting session sample that was shipped in a plastic “juice bag” (we need to express our dissatisfaction with those gizmos - they are a wretched way to treat good spirits). If you can be bothered reading that review (it appears below) you’ll note that my comments are almost the same as before, but more enthusiastic now. This sample, which was provided in a proper 30ml glass sample jar, is clearly superior in every way. The finish in particular is significantly better and as this was my only big reservation previously I’m delighted to be able to revise my former score upwards. This time round the whisky seems much fresher, more alive and notably richer and more buttery/creamy. There is not the slightest sign of heat when it is neat (at 53.5%) and I did not feel the need to add water. However given the generous tasting dram I was able to split it into two glasses and taste them neat and diluted in comparison. Both glasses were delightful. As it sits and evolves in the glass this whisky draws more and more towards Highland Park in profile, and I would almost equate it in quality with HP18 year old, so I’m scoring it accordingly. “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars) ------------------------------------------------------------- Previous review, originally posted October 21, 2022 Nose: Fruity malt, white wine, tropical fruit, aromatic wood (cedar, sandalwood and teak), orange blossoms, cointreau and liqueur de poire. A richly enticing nose. Palate: Sweet and rounded arrival with the pears from the nose recalled and floating on a sea of gristy cereal and malt. Some tannin appears in the development, but it is not overdone, and it is balanced by a mélange of citrus, dried tropical fruit and sweet herbal tea. The texture is full, mouth-coating and satisfying. Finish: Medium/long. Some baking spices appear in the later palate and persist into the finish, accompanied by fresh and dried fruit flavours and a note of leathery honey. The citrus and tea flavors from the palate become a little over-emphasized in the aftertaste, leading to final sourness. A very pleasing single malt – I’m glad I tasted this after the Arran Bordeaux Oak expression because this is clearly the superior dram. The nose on this is worth 5 stars and is mostly composed of light fruit and malt aromas but they are given depth and interest by the excellent supporting cask notes. The palate is not far behind, well balanced at first and playing off those same light fruit notes against darker dried fruits, oak, malt and oak. However I find a fault in the late finish where it seemed to me to lose control and a sour, woody, citric note becomes overly apparent. Tasted from a 15ml sampler. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars) -----------------------------------------------------------

This is an updated tasting. I first had this limited edition (~3000 bottles) in an event offered by Australian “The Whisky Company” under the guise of “Age of Distinction Isle of Arran virtual tasting”. The tasting had seven 15 ml samples, Arran 10, 18, 21, 25, 15 Bordeaux, this 15 Argonne, and a Machrie Moor. As the sixth sample of the night, and under the romantic notion of something very rare I think I may have been overly generous with the meagre sample I tried. I loved the Argonne on the night and wanted to explore it more, so tracked down a bottle. The original tasting was from a sample contained in a plastic/foil juice bag. My retaste of the Bordeaux 15 had me raise the questions: will 15 ml ever be sufficient to actually taste and emote with a whisky, and (2) what is the effect of juice bagging a whisky sample over glass bottling? I hope to have those resolutely answered shortly. Before I open this bottle I must give credit to the packaging. This is probably the best packaging I have seen for a whisky. The bottle and casing is perfectly in keeping with all the other rebranded Arran’s. A simple tube, a clean precise simple bottle, brail, the stylised map of the island with the large still and two golden eagles; lovely. But this case is rock hard, with a lovely tactile sugar-paper type external covering and internal soft fabric lining. The lid a beautiful coaster that locks tightly into the case. Just lovely to see this care and detail. Anyway, onwards. The liquid coming out of the bottle is as impressive looking as the cask. A beautiful pale copper colour that leaves viscous honey like legs trailing down the inside of my glass. N: Thick with fruity wine, stewed apples, aromatics in the form of jasmine tea or old cedar moth balls. Lovely citrus like you would find in an oil air freshener diffuser. The slightest honeyed malt can be found too. Rich and oozing character nothing is overly dominant, everything balances and works together. The nose is so much better than I remember. It seems to accomodate an overly zealous sniff too without the relatively high ABV (53.5%) becoming even remotely known. P: Soft, delicate, and refined. The first sip is cautious but slowly builds its presence. An initial creamy apple or pear is wrapped with honey and malt. A velvety mouth feel takes over. The oaks presence is found as delicate buttery tannin which is perfectly juxtaposition against the prickle of Arran’s staple ginger note. The creamy richness is probably where i found ‘strawberries and cream hard candies” last time around. It’s better than that its really supple leather, tropical fruit and chardonnay. This is good. Its very good. But I am not yet blown away like I was before. F: Long. A satisfying development of ginger, honeyed malt, and a reappearance of the jasmine tea florals I found on the nose. A delicate end with nothing detracting. A few drops of water and the malt profile of the nose is slightly brought out, a little ginger develops and the jasmine tea strengthens. The palate, with water, follows the nose honeyed malt takes over and the ginger becomes a little aggressive. Citrus is more noticeable and some of the creamy leathery texture is lost. The finish is seemingly unaffected by water. First, I am convinced that little foil juice bags should not be the carriers of precious liquids. This is not the same liquid I drank four months ago. Nor was the Bordeaux 15. Whisky belongs in glass. Trust me, I’m a doctor. I’ll hear no more on the matter. In kind 15 ml is not enough to take anything seriously. A minimum of 30 ml is needed to even approach a whisky (unless it’s at the lower end of the food chain, crap tastes like crap in any volume). I am convinced of as much here. Overall I think this is maybe the most interesting Arran expression of the now twelve I have tried. Is it the best one, tough to say. I think I need a bigger glass pour of the 18, 21, and 25 to make that call. I know I wont buy this again, not only for its rarity, but I don’t think the cost is justified. Whilst the Argonne is very well made, balanced, nuanced, delicate, and all around wonderful stuff I am not captivated by it. My imagination is not snared and I am not transported away from the world around. I am standing by this for my highest ratings now from where I said it on the Lagavulin 12 recently. Previously I rated the Argonne at 5.0/5.0. Now, I temper that, and bring it back to a still very good 4.5/5.0. 
*** 7th July 2022 Sixth 15 ml sample of the night (6/7) N: a little bit of spirit, stewed apples, jasmine tea, woody notes. P: tropical fruit, pear juice, fresh and vibrant, oak comes across like a wooded chardonnay, light citrus, strawberry and cream hard candies. F: long warmth. oaky, baking spice, refreshing and clean. The balance on this whisky is sublime. The second it hits your mouth you know it’s something rarified and special. The oakiness comes and goes to let all the flavours shine on their own merits. This dram showcases the best of the arran spirit without overshadowing or being overshadowed by the incredible wood. Absolutely raging that this isn’t available in Australia.... but I was able to land one of the ~3000 bottles in auction. I suspect a long time will pass before I open it though... Distiller whisky taste #42

For this release, Arran aged their single malt in French oak casks sourced from the Argonne Forest in north-east France that had previously held wine from a traditional winemaker near the village of Ay for 15 years before bottling it at 53.5%. The nose starts with a mix of creamy mango, pineapple and cedar planks then honeysuckle, rose hips, and chamomile tea followed by mandarin orange, lychee, and caramelized peaches that transitions to cloves, candied ginger and polished leather with no ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of creamy mango, pineapple and cedar planks then honeysuckle, rose hips, and chamomile tea followed by orange blossom, lychee, and passion fruit that transitions to sandalwood incense, candied ginger and polished leather with low ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with persimmons, honeysuckle, sandalwood incense, candied ginger, cloves and polished mahogany. An incredibly unique and expertly balanced dram that started a bit restrained but with some patience the subtle notes slowly emerge to reveal a fruit forward mix of tropical fruits with light cedar along with florals, light citrus and polished oak that drinks far older than the 15 years would indicate. Thanks @DrRHCMadden for bringing this one to my attention as I doubt I would have ordered a sample of it without reading your fantastic review first.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual Premium Whisky Tasting, 19 November 2021). Nose: Cedar & sandalwood, floral, perfumed, white wine, pears, citrus Palate: Orange, sweet summer fruit, gristy. Warm and rich. Finish: Medium long finish. Warming, light baking spices, sweet/candied orange. Wood, leather and cigars, making for a funky aftertaste. This is a hugely fruity and woody dram. There are notes of honey and leather on the aftertaste, but overall this is all about the rich fruit. A decadent dram. 1 of 3,060 bottles Full maturation in casks from the Argonne Forest in the north-east of France. Previously used to mature still wines from a winemaker based near the village of Ay. Came first out of the six drams, with 32% of the final vote for favourite of the night. 86% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky.