Discovering chemistry between Arran and Sauternes
In my Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026 I looked near Ardbeg and Ardmore but did not find Arran. I guess I still have to get used to looking up this distillery under the name “Lochranza”. Anyway! The Isle of Arran single malt can still be found under a recognisable name, so we won’t complain. My dear friend Emy slipped me a sample from a few years back of an Arran finished in Sauternes casks. Since I started blogging, I have changed my mind about Arran whiskies. I never really looked for them, but as part of my wish to cover all of Scotland (and the rest of the world) on this page, I need to stop on the islands every now and then. The Arran Local Barley from last year was stunning. Let’s take a look at this baby!
Arran Sauternes Cask Finish, bottled at 50 % abv
First things first: A batch from this Arran expression bottled around 2022.
Upon Sipping: Beautiful fresh barley mixed with apricot and apple sauce. Creamy texture to nose. Smells like it has a lot of backbone and it feels very mature. The Sauternes cask might have made it a tad one-dimensional. On the tongue, a pleasant sweetness that feels silky and full of apricot fruitiness. It is even a bit on the hot side, so I am guessing water will do well on this Arran Sauternes cask. A few drops does however little for the nose, but on the palate it improves with added sugary sweetness and more from the fruitbowl. This whisky creates the image of a French painter creating a still life in the kitchen, flies buzzing around it, peaches and Mirabelle perfectly positioned, and even a little whiff of paint you can find in the glass. On the finish, I pick up a bitter note I can do without, with hints of freshly cut ginger put in tea.
Word to the Wise: A perfectly balanced Arran that shows it can take any cask very well. I am reminded of the Cask Matured releases of Ardnamuchan, although that distillery mixes more peated content in their bottlings, and perhaps that is what I miss in this Arran Sauternes Cask Finish expression, a bit more bite. But as it stands, it performs just fine.
Score: 83 points.