Arran Machrie Moor 4th Release 46%

Arran distillery is located on the eponymous island sitting in the Firth of Clyde between the Kintyre peninsula, the southern end of which Springbank is found, and the west coast of mainland Scotland. Despite some history of bootlegging, this is not only a very young distillery, but also the only distillery on the island. Founded in 1995, the whisky from the distillery’s early days are in the early stages of maturity now, and ripe for exploration.

(Source: Official Photo)

Island distilleries generally have at least some peat in their spirit, due to the historic poor communications with the mainland which meant that peat rather than coal was a more dependable source of fuel. Arran in all its modernity shares no such tradition, but in a nod to the island’s bygone days, does produce a peated batch each year that has now been bottled as Machrie Moor, after the peat bogs in Arran. Though it should be noted the actual peat used for the peated malt almost certainly comes from the mainland as does the malt. Also noteworthy: two strains of barley are used, Optic and Oxbridge.

(Photo: potstills.org)

Look at these stills, with their thin long swan necks and straight lyne arms, suggesting a lighter spirit?

  Nose: Ok very gentle peat, less than Bowmore even. But once past that, its heart is light and diaphanous. More sea air than brine, more woodsmoke than tar. Those high fruit notes of lime juice and green apple that might hint at youth, and also some flinty steel. Not unlike a very gentle version of some modern Bowmores I’ve had. Damp sackcloth.

  Palette: Ashy! Bit dusty. Billowing white woodsmoke, more hits of green fruit, nail varnish, and now a building white spiciness overwhelms the tongue. Eventually subsiding into a salty sooty mess. A campfire put out with seawater. Dry and upfront but with a really lacking body.

  Finish: Short,dry, smoke and ash.

Plays at being slightly peaty but the body is surprisingly weak by comparison and really doesn’t hold up well. Ironic but this is one expression that might have benefited from a bit of finishing?