Review #618 - Arran 21 Year (First Release)
Lochranza distillery, owners of the Arran brand, began operations in 1995; now, as we pass the distillery's 30th anniversary, we're seeing increasingly large age statements released. Here's the inaugural release of their 21 year old single malt, bottled back in 2018; this is presented at a strength of 46% ABV, and there's no chill filtering or added coloring to dilute the drinking experience.
Arran doesn't specify the casks used in this release, but some sources online point to a combination of ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks, specifically Oloroso sherry; that would make sense given the casks used in most of Arran's releases. Because of the year of bottling, the spirit in this batch came from some of the earliest distillations at Lochranza - how does that early spirit fare nowadays?
Arran 21 Year (First Release)
Scotland/Highland - Single Malt
Price: USD 250 (2025)
Age Statement: 21 Years
Strength: 46% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled 2018; 9,000 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 9 months; bottles at 90%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Musty, perfumed oak and some sweetness from caramel and fruit come first - acidic prunes, blood orange, and candied peach as well. There's still a malt character to this despite the age, adding almost a chocolate note; then we find honeycomb, figs, raisins, and tiramisu.
Palate: The mouthfeel has a medium thickness; lots of perfumed and spicy oak up front, as well as that rich caramel sweetness. Fizzy grapefruit, glazed orange, and some prunes are accented by subtle raspberry or dark cherry; we get a hint of nut brittle later, as well as maple syrup.
Finish: Medium length, with that nice mature oak still taking center stage. It does lean sweet, especially with dark stewed fruits of raisin and prune, as well as some cherry; honey, soda water, and tart apricot linger in the aftertaste.
Final Note: This is a very nice whisky - well measured, with decent balance, though at times it did lean a bit sweet. Generally, the strong oak influence was enough to balance that out, and those oak notes grew stronger into the finish. A lot of fruit in this one - some from the spirit, and probably a decent amount of the fruit from the sherry cask influence, too. This single malt was never too punchy, but instead offered a more mellow, intricate tasting experience.
Value is below average due to the higher price, like most Scotch single malts with a premium age statement like this; that said, if you're looking for a whisky with this sort of age statement, this is a good option.
Our Average Rating: 8.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.06
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Arran reviews:
