Reviewed by @Pierre_W

5 185/100

This is the sixth and final batch of Arran’s cask strength 12-year old. It was bottled in May 2016 with a total outturn of 13,800 bottles after having been matured in first-full sherry butts, refill sherry hogsheads and first-fill bourbon barrels.

The nose is quite malty and fruity with notes of lemons, oranges and pineapple. I also got a hint of cinnamon, some sawdust and white pepper. This is a lovely and predominantly fruity nose, good stuff.

The palate is medium-bodied, spicy and dry. The malty flavours are back, together with a good dose of lemons and oranges. Quite zesty too and good balance overall.

The finish is long and warming. Notes of oranges and pineapples last to the end. Rather dry and a bit oaky.

This is a dry and zesty Arran that is quite multi-layered and fruity too. The nose was the best part, in my humble view. Not extraordinary but I would get another bottle if this was not sold out.

@casualtorture commented:

I had a bottle of batch 5, definately agree about the pineapple! I enjoyed it, and I think my local still has a few bottles left.

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Reviewed by @Megawatt

0 090/100

This is batch # 1 of Arran's new core expression.

Nose: at full strength, it is warm, butter-nutty (peanut brittle?), somewhat closed. After adding water it becomes fudgy, slightly herbal, and much fruitier (melons, pears). A touch of licorice. Very inviting.

Taste: at full strength it fairly explodes on the tongue, first with that lively Arran fruitiness, then with warm, rich sherry. With water the alcohol is of course softened, letting that lovely, fruity malt expand. A bit salty, with considerable sherry presence. Somewhat like a more balanced a'bunadh. Very rich, mouth-filling stuff.

Finish: becomes somewhat tart, thanks to the sherry casks. Leaves pleasant lingering flavours of sherry and oak.

Balance: funny how I've tried so many wine finishes from Arran but this is my first sherry-matured bottle. A heavyweight island malt from one of my favourite distilleries; this one doesn't disappoint.

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Reviewed by @markjedi1

0 486/100

The Arran 12 Year Old Cask Strength saw the light of day in 2012. This first batch, no less than 12.000 bottles strong, is a marriage of first fill and second fill sherry hogsheads.

After the initial alcohol burn I get a nice mix of green apples, malt and sultanas. A touch of salted farmers butter. A lot of vanilla. All kinds of green herbs and a whiff of pepper. Adding water makes it a bit farmy. Pleasant.

The powerfull attack leads to the aromas conversion into taste. White fruit, pepper, vanilla. Cinnamon and cornflakes. Pinch of salt. But also orange peel and pear drops. Zesty and mildy drying. With water, the apples come to the fore, joined by honey. The fruit evolves into the dried variety.

The finish is very long and bittersweet, ending in a crumb of dark chocolate with pepper.

A beautiful malt, that vastly improves if you add some water. A true swimmer, the likes of Michael Phelps. Not even 40 EUR.