Arran - 1st White Stag bottling - Tasting Notes

At the #ArranWhisky Twitter Tasting last week I had a taste of the first White Stag bottling. This is bottled at 54,2% and this single sherry cask was the first bottling chosen by the Arran White Stag tasting panel.

This one is a Sherry Oloroso refill Hogshead, 18 years old in May, being released in June for the online White Stags. Only 214 bottles worldwide and available of this beauty.

Nose
Vanilla, sweet, fruit, and with a hint of lemon mint freshness, custard, ginger, red apple, star fruit, blackcurrant, black berries and a hint of some wood. There are some rich stronger notes underneath I can’t put my finger on, feels like cherries and dark chocolate. Marzipan and coconut (the outside shell of it), aniseed, oranges, toffee, some coffee notes, Brazilian nuts and some dry spice notes.

Palate
Like the notes on the nose really, very balanced and rich. Sweet with a wind of citrus freshness through the red apples and red summer fruit combined with after that some darker summer fruit, going from raspberry to cherry.

Finish
Medium length finish, sweet and honey creamy, like clover honey. Dried fruits, toffee and chocolate in the end. It has been lingering through the palate also combined with the cherries. Bit dry cocoa powder between my teeth in the end. Brownie with cherries and thick cream on top and some grilled pineapple.

Score
8 out of 10 for this lovely whisky for sure! Great combinations of flavours in it.