Arran 19 Year Old 1997 Douglas Laing Old Particular

When I saw this Arran from 1997 at a whisky festival, Jan Beckers – the ambassador for Douglas Laing – told me I just had to try it, so I allowed him to fill up my sample bottle. Today I took it out of my liquid library to give it a try. Distilled in 1997 and bottled at the age of 19 years old, cut to 51.5% ABV, in their Old Particular series.

The nose holds the middle between fruity and malty. I have loads of apples and pears on the one hand, on the other the crust of white bread. Next to that, a hint of marzipan. Barely any spices, except some camphor. Soft and accessible. Reminds me a bit of muesli.

Wonderfully creamy body, though. Bittersweet on white fruit and pink grapefruit, zesty and now mildly spicy. Think white pepper, camphor and some liquorice. Ginger too. Quite nice.

Go ahead and call this a long finish, on more of the same, but a bit drying towards the end.

Nice Arran, no more, no less.

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