Nose: strong sherry aromas, but they are very fresh. A nice mix of light fruity, citrus and sherry flavors. Flowery, caramel, toasted almonds, hazelnuts, raisins, marzipan, lemon, blood orange, sweetened peppermint tea.

Taste: oily, sweet, great onset, sweet / spicy, he pushes on with schnapps squash, apple juice, dried fig, peach, overripe pear, again the nut corners, milk chocolate.

Finish: Medium long, very sweet, the oak is noticeable, becomes dry but remains sweet and slightly tart, the citrus notes always resonate in the background.

Nice connection of the citrus-freight with the sherry-flavors, the alcohol-strength also fits very well. Not too young and no sulfur. Of that I could imagine a bottle zuzlegen, he is probably not too old, so it lacks in the mMn a bit of depth. Is still delicious

(Lot 20 08 19)
APPEARANCE: Between dark copper and medium brown colour.
NOSE: Initially sherry and wood notes, mint and some dried fruits and noticeable oak notes. With some air; dry, baked oak, sawdust, some alcohol, all overpowering the sherry. With more air the sherry cask reappears; vanilla, some dried fruits (quite dry impression), then molasses and some honey. Later dark treacle and dark honey. Dark chocolate. (86-87p) With a few drops of water it feels less oaky, more sherried and slighty older. After my third addition of a few drops it really starts to come around on the nose; oranges, lemons, dried orange rind, fortified sweet wine, some fruit cake, pine needles, mint. (87-88p)
TASTE: The arrival is mainly sherried (on rather dry, dried fruits) but also a bit woody and a bit nippy. On the mid palate a mix of wood / oak sawdust and dried fruits, with a little sweetness towards the end. (85p) With a few drops of water more of the sherry notes come forward. With another few drops, the whisky becomes sweeter, more sherry, less oak. Even better after my third addition of a few drops. Also sweeter. (86p)
FINISH: The finish is peppery, woody and slightly sweet. (84p) With quite a bit of water the finish becomes more civilised, rounder, less woody/peppery, softer. (85p)
OVERALL: Straight after the initial uncorking and undiluted, this presents itself as a quite intensely oaked and sherried, relatively young (5-8 years?) whisky. What it doesn’t do is reveal much of its Arran distillate/origins, although (hard) dilution brings some of it into the light. Several drops of water makes the expression older, more sherried and “smoother”. TOTAL SCORE (for now) 86 points.
I will let this breathe and re-review later, in some 4-12 months time.

Sherry sarsaparilla.. love it!

A really flavourful young sherry bomb, that compares well against other whiskies in the category. It's on the waxier, Clynelish-y side of Arran, which I really like. Great stuff!

Nose: Sweet and rich. Raisins, orange zest, honeycomb, brown sugar, ginger, cedar.

Palate: Medium-thick texture. Malted barley, crystallized pineapple, wood spices, toasted sesame oil, black tea, wax, dried fruit.

Finish: Medium-length, dry. Forest berries, honey, maple sugar, gingerbread, bergamot, sandalwood, sea salt.