Quite apart from being a beautiful destination for a long, lazy weekend, Arran boasts an amazing distillery which has been producing tasty drams for a number of years. In fact, there are now two working distilleries on the island (Arran in the north, and Lagg in the south) for the first time in long time. Back in the day there were many illicit stills on the island producing ‘Arran water’, which was ever popular with the locals. The quality of the water on Arran is superb, and this fact coupled with decent barley and the skill of the distillers, means that Arran whisky is well worth checking out.
James MacTaggart is the master distiller, and he carefully watches over the production of every single cask. He’s had 40 years experience in the industry, and he’s also a very decent drummer. Drumming doesn’t necessarily make him a better distiller, but it definitely makes him a cooler human being.
Arran doesn’t produce a huge amount of any one expression, so everything is limited in terms of availability. The benefit here is that the quality control is second to none. Even their ‘standard’ 10-year-old is made in small batches. When they do a very limited release (Smugglers’ Release, the Explorer Series, the James MacTaggart 10th Anniversary Edition), you have to be quick to find one.
Here are a few to tempt your tastebuds this weekend…
Arran 10 year old Single Malt (The Good Spirits Company, £37.50). Launched in 2006, this single malt really showcases the capabilities of the distillery. It is a very fruit forward release, with a lovely approachable honey note. It is the definition of a session dram.
Arran Robert Burns Single Malt (The Good Spirits Company, £33.50). As a patron of the World Robert Burns Federation, Arran is the only distillery with permission to use the image and signature of Robert Burns on their labels. In the glass, this one is akin to liquidised apple strudel with an extra sprinkling of cinnamon.
Arran 21 year old Single Malt (Inverarity One to One, £115). This recent release is the long-awaited 21-year-old from the still relatively young distillery. I’ve always been a massive fan of malts that are old enough to order themselves in a bar, and this one is no exception. You still get the characteristic Arran notes of fruit, Christmas spice and richness (backed up by a balancing neroli oil elegance), coupled with an added structure from the extra oak maturation. This is lovely dram. Slàinte!
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