Arran 19 Years Old 1996 A Rare Find (48.8%, Gleann Mór, 2015)

Whisky Review

• Category: Island single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Arran Distillery
• Bottling: Gleann Mór
• ABV: 48.8%
• Cost: £80

What they say:

Rather well aged single malt Scotch whisky from the Arran distillery, bottled by Gleann Mór for the A Rare Find range. This was set aside to age by the island distillers in July 1996 and bottled without chill-filtration or additional colours in August 2015.

What I say:

Part of our Arranathon (or Arrathon?) tasting session, this bottling from Gleann Mór competed with the SMWS for possibly the 1st 19 year old Arran expression on the market. The colour in particular drew me to this bottle instantly – subtley hinting at some good sherry cask influence here…

Colour:

Old Madeira/autumnal copper gold (12/20), quick medium-sized droplets, medium-fine legs

Nose:

Nutty, rich fruit cake & gingerbread, red berry fruits, plum, red wine, tannic leather, musty oak casks, sherry, figgy, raisin, dates, prunes, sweet milk chocolate, walnut and hazelnut

Taste:

Rich brown sugar, maple syrup, plum sauce, dried fruits; prune, raisin, fig, sweet strawberry and blackcurrant (fruit cordial), saccharine sweetness, polished toffee and leather.

Finish:

Long, fruit cake and leather, tannic, spiced sweetness like a cinnamon icing/dusting

Overall:

Nice, slightly overly sweet in places and lacked a little depth but very drinkable.

Score: 86/100

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