New Release: Arran 1996 17 Year Old Official Whisky Exchange Online 15th Anniversary Commemorative

As expected, a delicate sherry cask. Arran ISLE OF ARRAN 1996-2014 17yo OB for THE WHISKY EXCHANGE 15 YEARS ONLINE #1996/2033 55.7% one of 245 bottles, SHERRY HOGSHEAD The aroma features good sherry, apricot jam, grapes with their skins, dried fruits, caramel, rich notes, and a gentle barley character. Upon drinking, it is smooth with light viscosity, grape jam sweetness, rich yet not heavy-bodied, and a pleasant finish. 【Good/Very Good】 This is the 15th-anniversary commemorative bottle for Whisky Exchange's online platform, featuring Arran 1996 aged 17 years. Similar to other recent sherry cask Arrans I've tasted, it exhibits a gentle sherry character without harshness, with notable jammy aromas and sweetness. Particularly enjoyable was the balance between grape-like sweetness and subtle astringency, making for a pleasant, rich Arran. Not limited to sherry casks, recent Arrans generally have an approachable character and pleasant drinkability. Even with 10-year maturation, they already show maturity, with minimal residual barley notes and many examples where the body feels lighter than expected for the ABV, suggesting they may have reached their maturation peak before 20 years. Conversely, I don't sense much potential for long-term aging to improve the flavor—perhaps just my impression. Though often described as unremarkable, in a way this could be considered distinctive for a distillery. #Isle of Arran (ISLE OF ARRAN)