Arran Explorers Series Lochranza Castle

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The 2nd release (aka Vol. 2) in the Arran Explorers Series is the Lochranza Castle 21 Year. This is a limited release of 9000 bottles, matured in Sherry Hogshead and finished Amontillado Sherry Casks. Bottled at 47.2%.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: soft, elegant and sherried; nutty with maple butter, polished leather and Fruit Source bars; chocolate-y with candied cherries and a raspberry puree; oak shavings, Eat-More and Junior Mints.  

Palate: round, fruity and elegant; maple syrup and treacle sauce; more polished leather and dehydrated fruit bars; ripe tropical fruits: mango, papaya and a touch of flambeed banana; candied orange and melons; more chocolate, leaning more towards Caramilk than Eat-more, but retaining the Junior Mints; its very refreshing... 

Finish: coating, fruity and spicy with more smooth leather and chocolate; good length and weight.

Comment: Arran's older expressions are always elegant, and this one is no exceptions; sherried with a very good balance and loads of complexity; a very good follow up to the Brodick Bay!

Producer's Tasting Note

Nose: Rich, layered and complex. Caramelised almonds and chocolate covered crystallised ginger dovetail with deep aromas of dried apricots and caramelised brown sugar. Dusty smells of the dunnage warehouse abound.

Palate: Bright and mouth coating, showing notes of honecomb and salted caramel. Herbaceous accents offset the orchard fruit which comes to the fore to display the ever-present Arran house style. Seamless integration of age, wood characters and Arran spirit.

Finish: Enigmatic, developing toward Assam tea and subtle cigar smoke. A resurgence of freshness completes the circle. A fabulous example of Arran in more advanced years.

Producer's Description

"Lochranza Castle joins Brodick Bay as one of the best-known and most-loved areas of our beautiful island, moving north for Volume Two towards the home of Arran Single Malt in Lochranza. We are proud to present another expression of our aged Arran Single Malt - 21 years old - stunningly packaged in a beautiful presentation gift tin.

"The Arran Explorers’ Series is a collection of limited edition expressions of The Arran Single Malt. Each edition celebrates the outstanding scenic beauty and diversity of nature on the Isle of Arran.

"On the northern coast of the Isle of Arran, the visitor will enter the picturesque village of Lochranza, home of The Arran Single Malt. Stretching across the wide bay in the middle of the village lies a short peninsula upon which Lochranza Castle strikes a solitary figure across the landscape. A rare sight, it was originally built as a medieval hall-house in the 1200s and today stands proudly as a focal point of the village. Stags roam freely and the natural amphitheatre of the hills provides a stunning backdrop for this ancient ruin, sparking the imagination of the visitor and creating a sense of the history of this tranquil coastal village.

"This view of the castle from the banks of Lochranza Bay is best taken in with a dram of The Arran Single Malt in hand. This particular example is 21 years old and has been matured in Sherry Hogsheads before being finished in Amontillado Sherry Casks sourced directly from Bodegas Tradicion in Jerez De La Frontera, Spain. The resulting elegant and flavoursome whisky perfectly compliments the majestic scenery and natural beauty of our home village of Lochranza. Take your senses on an adventure around the Isle of Arran."

700 ml