James MacTaggart 2007 Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Founded in 1993, The Arran Malt is the only whisky produced on the Isle of Arran on Scotland’s west coast. The area is home to the purest water in all of Scotland – water that’s been cleansed by granite and softened by peat as it slowly meanders from the mountaintops into nearby Loch na Davie – which imparts a special quality to the whiskies produced.

Bottled to mark Master Distiller James MacTaggart’s 10th anniversary at the Isle of Arran Distillery, this fresh and vibrant expression is a selection of first fill 10 year old bourbon barrels from James’s first months of production in 2007. Bottled at natural cask strength 54.2% abv, and non-chill filtered, an inviting nose suggests aromas of coconut, pencil shavings, lemon oil and a hint of sea brine, whilst the palate is warming with notes of white pepper, boiled sweets, apple pastries, barley sugar and a complex winey note are in the mid-palate. The finish is long and has all the freshness of a well-made whisky-sour cocktail which sweetens to candy floss as it slowly fades. It’s a delightful expression of Arran where the true character and complexity shines through beautifully.