Last year I did a series called ‘unsung heroes or downright zeroes’ (shortly before switching website providers, so if you fancy checking out my thoughts on whiskies like Tomatin Cask Strength or Talisker Port Ruighe: that’s all to be found in the hot mess that is the archives section of this website – for which I do apologize). As it got quite some positive responses (with some of you suggesting I’d try this or that even – thank you, btw), and because it was a lot of fun to do, I decided to revisit that theme, taking a closer look at another 5 single malt whiskies (as there are 5 Thursdays in September this year), all of them official, core range releases that are, by and large, readily available, but for whatever reason don’t seem to attract a lot of attention or appreciation, concluding with a – hopefully - clear and unanimous verdict by the jury (i.e.: yours truly) on it being an unsung hero or a downright zero.
So the concept being pretty clear and self-explanatory, please step forward, candidate number one…
Arran Barrel Reserve (43% ABV, natural colour, hopefully/possibly UCF), 2021 release, app. €30/£25
Before we dive into this, I think it’s pretty obvious why this entry level expression from Arran is often overlooked: it’s facing some stiff competition from one of its own peers. Indeed, the Arran 10 year old is quite the opposite of the barrel reserve, in terms of recognition, walking home with not 1, but 2 awards at last year’s OSWA’s even (and a number of other awards they deemed worthy to mention on their website as well). And can you really blame people who, for roughly an extra fiver, can get themselves another Arran that not only carries an age statement, but comes at higher ABV as well? Fair to say that marketing wise the Barrel Reserve isn’t doing itself any favours, and may indeed be in need of some TLC from the owners at Lochranza – my suggestion is to really make this a bang for buck expression by filing off a few pounds, or by pushing the ABV up to be on par with the 46% of its 10 yo sibling. Or, preferably, both.
Luckily, it still has a few distinguishing features. As the name suggests, this is fully matured in bourbon barrels, 1st fill bourbon casks even, whereas the 10 yo is matured in a mixture of bourbon and sherry casks, with no further elaboration on the balance and proportion between the two ageing vessels, or them being 1st, 2nd or whatever other refill maturation run you can squeeze out of a cask these days. And so, with the concept of the series clear and having established why this expression is lacking in terms of attention: ‘onwards with the goat’ (as they say in this neck of the woods).
Nose
Crisp, bright and friendly. Honey, sugar and a soft flower - herbaceous note of geraniums and parsley. This gives way to a shy grassy – hay note which adds a bit of depth, preventing things from turning into a syrupy, liquid candy.
Taste
Gentle wood and a soft prickle. Dry and medium-full mouthfeel. Overall considerably less sweetness compared to the nose, but rather there’s a creamy, porridge like grainy element which shows the youth. In the back those garden-herbal notes hum a quiet, subtle tune.
Finish
Rather short, herbaceous and dry.
Final thoughts
Quite decent for an entry level, budget friendly malt. Enjoyable and approachable with very little complexity, and that herbaceous touch prevents this from becoming completely generic and forgettable. A nice and easy (and I do mean nice) sipper which may not excite many people, but is unpretentious and doesn’t pretend to be something that it’s not. If you like the Tomatin Legacy, you’ll find this Arran Barrel Reserve to be a decent alternative. 79/100 (we're getting somewhere, this is not too shabby)
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