Arran 15 y.o. - Rare Batch French Oak Grand Cru Finish

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 52.5% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

An exceptionally long second maturation defines this Rare Batch. The bourbon casks were filled on 14 October 2009. After seven years, the whisky was transferred to French Grand Cru white wine casks on 25 July 2017, where it matured for a further eight years. These casks had previously been used to ferment white wines from northeastern France.

Released in 2025 to mark the distillery's 30th anniversary, this edition was bottled at 52.5%. The whisky retains its natural colour and was not chill-filtered.

The aromatic spectrum encompasses apple, orange peel and other citrus notes, vanilla and brioche, as well as dark chocolate, cherry and oak. Its full-bodied, oily texture carries the fruity and woody character into the long finish.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The rich nose brings together Arran's characteristic apple aromas and a pronounced orange peel note. Zesty citrus fruit adds a lively accent alongside sweet-scented oak.
• Palate: Abundant orange peel and tart citrus fruit lead the flavours. The whisky is oily, full-bodied and rich on the palate. Vanilla brioche and dark chocolate contribute only a light touch.
• Finish: Numerous citrus notes linger through the long finish as the oak becomes increasingly prominent. The oily texture remains perceptible throughout the mouth. Subtle traces of dark chocolate and maraschino cherries round out the finish.

Distillery/Bottler:

The whisky was produced at Lochranza Distillery on the Isle of Arran. This Rare Batch is an official Arran bottling. The water used for Arran Single Malt flows from Loch na Davie to the distillery via the Easan Biorach cascades. Production at Lochranza includes fermentation in wooden washbacks and double distillation in copper pot stills.

Lochranza began distilling on 29 June 1995, producing the first legally distilled spirit on Arran for 158 years. A breeding pair of eagles had previously delayed construction; their image still appears on bottles of Arran Single Malt in remembrance of this episode.

Facts: