Arran 2001 12 Year Old Official Bottling for The Nectar #2001/099

Recently distilled Arran in sherry cask, surprisingly well-developed for its youth. Arran ISLE OF ARRAN 2001-2013 12 Year Old Official Bottling for THE NECTAR #2001/099, 53.7% One of 374 bottles, Sherry Hogshead Aroma of good sherry, plums, orange with chocolate coating, barley notes from the depth, Danish pastry with berry jam. Smooth mouthfeel, grape with skin, chocolate, dried fruits, umami of roasted barley, slightly meaty, rich finish. [Good] Arran 2001 bottled for Belgium's Nectar, matured for 12 years in sherry hogshead. Though distilled after 2000, it's a short-matured single cask but with chocolate and rich, diverse fruits, so youthfulness is not very prominent. The dense fruits and strong barley notes give a Danish pastry-like nuance, with slightly meaty hints before sulfur, but no bad elements. It feels like light-bodied whisky with richness and thickness. A well-matured young malt, I think it would have a more cohesive and pleasant aroma if left to rest in the bottle a bit longer.