Arran 10 Year Old

I bought this single malt on recommendation of Quebecwhisky.com, who included it in their "Christmas suggestions 2011" here: quebecwhisky.com/suggestions2011.shtml

Drunk neat. I tried adding water, and it drowned far too easily.

Nose: It smells so strongly of cider that I wondered if I had opened the wrong bottle. The background of oak and vanilla dispells any doubts however.

Palate: What the nose announced, the palate delivers. Fresh apples and pears, backed with a cool malt sweetness. Very light spice appear as the whisky warms up.

Finish: The only misstep appears here, with a slightly harsh wave hitting the back of my mouth. Luckily, it is transitory, and is replaced by light smoky peat and moderate burn.I tried getting the "wave" under control by dilution, but only ended up drowning the palate.

Balance: The slight harshness is the only spoiler in an otherwise good whiskey.

This is a very nice summer scotch. It is also one of the more affordable single malts in Québec (which unfortunately means "just under 50$"). It has a good, fresh taste that sits well with me, since I happen to love cider.

The important question for me is "Will I buy it again?" and I'm happy to say that this whiksy rates a very solid "Probably".

Find where to buy Arran whisky