Arran 10 Years Old 2004 The Green Welly Stop 50th (53.5%, OB, Sherry HH #17, 287 Bottles, 2015)

• Category: Island single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Arran Distillery
• Bottling: The Green Welly Stop; 50th anniversary #2
• ABV: 53.5%
• Cost: £54.95

What they say:

2015 marks The Green Welly Stop at 50 Years of Age.
Back in 1965 this little business was started. When purchased, it included a 6 bedroom house, post office and shop, two traveling vans (with two resident mice – free of charge), petrol pumps and a coal business. In the earlier views of the business you can see the little shed to the right of the petrol pumps -this was the ‘Shell Shop’ where you paid for your fuel.

A lot has happened since, name change, additions, more additions, car park, motorbikes and even more!

So without further ado – the chosen cask, to follow up on the GlenDronach 2003, it had to be a beauty, we had been looking at a few options, and trying to arrange the price around the same marker was proving more and more difficult.

We took the decision to have a taster of Arran whisky.

I could nose this whisky all day and night.
Butter popcorn (butterkist) coupling with heather and fudge.

Palate – we had such a complex spicy/pepperiness, french apple tart, toffee dessert, rich and smooth.

Distilled 20th September 2004 – Bottled 4th June 2015

Bottles available – only 287.

CASK INFORMATION: EX OLOROSO SHERRY CASK – CASK NO: #17

What I say:

Another 50th celebration cask from The Green Welly Stop – and frankly why not!? Their last was a belter – not hard as it was much sherried and from Glendronach, this time equally as sherried but from the little Isle of Arran distillery.

Colour:

Copper amber gold (12/20), quick loose tears with chunky legs

Nose:

Spiced & marinated, honey glazed ham, fruity chutney, heather honey, floral, icing sugar, sweet, figgy, red fruits, plum, strawberry, blackcurrant, apple, herbal; coriander, clove, mace, spicy & tannic oak wood

Taste:

Like strawberries & cream, vanilla, apple; juicy & tart fruit, brown bread toast with plenty of orange and ginger marmalade, sweet honey, woody sugars and more tannins & leather, figs and dates, cinnamon, fennel/coriander, blood orange zest, toffee and caramel

Finish:

Long, spiced toffee, zesty and tart fruits, toasted oak wood

Overall:

Wondefull, a mealy dram, spicy and tart, tannic and oaky, deeply fruity with sherry influence – nothing wrong here!

Score: 88/100

Don’t take my word for it:

Bloggers submit a link to your review