It also didn’t help Arran’s case that they intended to sell single malt rather than make the wiser and more practical decision of bottling blends, or selling their whisky for use in blends. After all, other than a few distilleries that sold single malts like Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, and those that were part of Diageo’s classic malts, blends were largely the way by which many distilleries survived during that time. Yet another contradiction in Arran’s history.

If we decide not to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms, such decision shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Whiskybase B.V. is the Dutch private limited liability company, having its statutory seat in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and its office at Zwaanshals 530, 3035 KS Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Whiskybase B.V. is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under no. 52072819.Regardless of whether the Service offers the functionality to contribute, you are solely responsible and liable for any content and information that you create, upload, post, publish, link to, duplicate, transmit, record, display or otherwise make available on the Service or to other Members, such as chat messages, text messages, videos, audio, audio recordings, music, pictures, photographs, text and any other information or materials, whether publicly posted or privately transmitted (“Contributions”). The Quarter Cask on the other hand is a perfect go-to dram for an enjoyable evening and is cost effective enough to remove any confirmation bias or not worry too much that it’s depleting rather promptly. I was given this bottle from a pal after he lost a bet, so I have even less financial bias towards it. I had presumed it was young whisky in the four-five year range presented at the higher ABV to deliver more flavour at the compromise of a missing age-statement. The Arran 10 might be the winner of accolades, but this Quarter Cask expression is, to all intents and purposes, a large step up from that great entry point, even if it was young. Now that I know it’s just shy of a decade and, knowing it delivers an elevated, potent flavour experience, that when my bottle of Arran 10 runs out, I’ll be replacing it with another Quarter Cask instead. This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services.

Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Our Quarter Cask expression is a complex, rich and intensely fruity Single Malt, a cask strength delight and the perfect partner to our Sherry Cask Single Malt!They said the old design had served its purpose, so they wanted to reimagine the bottling design to make it modern and more effective in communicating their brand values, like the importance they place on the soft water they use at the distillery – on the new design, this is shown by the “ripples” on the bottle’s shoulder. A ‘bothy’ is the highland slang for a small house or cottage. ‘The Bothy’ name pays homage to the huge illicit whisky industry that existed on the Isle of Arran in days past. The scores of small distilleries were commonly housed in such dwellings – and the whisky commonly aged in small (eg quarter) casks. The smaller casks were much easier to hide and transport than their bigger siblings. Hence, The Arran Quarter Cask ‘The Bothy’.

Secondly, according to Arran Master Distiller James MacTaggart, they wanted to create a new design that would help them clearly distinguish between whisky made at Lochranza Distillery (where Arran whisky is currently produced) and their newly opened Lagg Distillery, dedicated to the creation of peated Arran whisky. The Arran “The Bodega” Sherry Cask single malt whisky is what I’ll be reviewing today. Despite not having a stated age on its label, Arran openly communicates that it contains 7-year-old single malt. I reached out to Andy Bell, and he confirmed that The Bodega is exclusively matured in first-fill Oloroso-sherry-seasoned American oak hogsheads, which was selected over European oak to better complement the house style of Arran whisky. It is presented naturally: without added color, without chill-filtration, and at cask strength (55.8% ABV for this batch).It’s really good whisky! It falls comfortably within the Arran stable, offering the proprietary tropical goodness that Arran delivers with aplomb, but in the Quarter Cask it’s delivered at warp speed. Higher ABV is becoming the place to go with whisky now, for me, because it gives me the flexibility to tailor the experience to my heart's content – the chance to release suppressed flavours or dampen down others. It’s not the first time I’ve heard from brand representatives that the cask strength version of their whisky is their favourite, and it’s easy to see why. You’re getting the signature characteristics but at maximum volume. I also far prefer the Quarter Cask over the Sherry Cask sister dram, because it’s clear now that I prefer bourbon-based whiskies at the moment, but loads of folk hold the Sherry Cask up as their go-to sherried dram of choice. Whiskybase B.V. (“Whiskybase”, “we” or “us”, company details below) offers a whisky enthusiasts online platform that provides its members access to the most comprehensive, transparent and trusted resource of whisky bottles and allows and stimulates its members to contribute information about whisky bottles to the platform (“Service”). You are responsible for all activities through your account. You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide to us in relation to your account, and for updating it where necessary. You are not allowed to create multiple accounts. We may terminate or temporarily suspend your account to protect you, ourselves or our partners from (suspected) identity theft or other (suspected) fraudulent (e.g. false, misleading, deceptive) activity. You have the obligation to keep your login credentials confidential. You shall not authorize any others to use or access your account. Unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise, your use of and membership to the Service are exclusively governed by Dutch law. We shall first try to settle any dispute over a dram of whisky. Disputes that cannot be settled over multiple drams of whisky shall be solely submitted to the court of Amsterdam, The Netherlands unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise. When I first heard about Arran whisky and tried learning about the brand, I was intrigued by the different contradictions that stood out throughout the course of their history.

Arran is a truly independent distillery owned by a small group of shareholders rather than a faceless corporation which is all too rare these days so worth supporting, especially when they produce such lovely whiskies.Our Quarter Cask expression is a complex, rich and intensely fruity Single Malt, a cask strength delight and the perfect partner to our Sherry Cask Single Malt! Here, presented with a Darach chunky bottle stand made from vintage oak whisky barrels sourced from Scottish distilleries. Light espresso and a nice faint leather. Limes and light fruits. Chocolate toffees. The usual suspects are in abundance here – vanilla and honey, the fancy exotic stuff that costs double in Sainsbury’s. Scotch broom’s coconut-floral, bushy notes are around the periphery too – my favourite wild plant and in fabulous bloom right now, FYI. Every drop of Arran Single Malt starts its life as rainwater which pools at Loch na Davie in the beautiful hill high above the distillery. The clear water cascades down the hillside, through six unassuming waterfalls, each one purifying the water further. The name of the burn, Easan Biorach, means ‘Sharp Waterfalls’ in Gaelic. The purity of the water means that the distilling team can create a clean, sweet dram which is entirely natural and unadulterated.