The Dreaded Rebrand
Over the past couple of years, I have noticed that I lean more towards whiskies that have a coastal hint. That is not to say I don't enjoy heavily peated, heavily sherried or exclusively bourbon matured whiskies or a combination of all. It depends on what mood I am in. However, my preference for coastal whiskies has become noticeable to me. It is my favourite flavour profile. When I am looking to make my next purchase or if I am at a bar then I will look for bottles from distilleries known for producing coastal malts. It is worth reflecting on your journey so far and looking back at your purchases to spot if there are any patterns in your purchasing decisions.
When I reflect back on my journey I can easily identify where my fondness for coastal whiskies began. It was the Arran 14 year old that set me down the coastal path. It wasn't an epiphany whisky moment for me but more of a gradual appreciation that built up over the years. At first, I just liked it, after a few bottles I really liked it. I then realised that I was enjoying whiskies from Old Pulteney, Glen Scotia, Balblair and Clynelish more than others. The fact that 4 of the 5 distilleries I mention are up in the north east of Scotland and on the coast may not be a coincidence. I am no expert but I have heard from others that know more than me that whiskies stored near the coast take on the coastal air that the casks breathe in. Makes sense to me but I do find that peated malts have coastal qualities to them too such as Ledaig and Talisker, so who really knows. Some of you may dispute whether Arran and Balblair malts have coastal characteristics, I wouldn't wholeheartedly disagree with you because those savoury notes are subtle to me in comparison to the likes of whiskies from Old Pulteney, Glen Scotia and Clynelish. Taste is subjective anyway, so who am I to dispute what you are experiencing.
Anyway, I have a tendency to digress, back to the main point of this article which is not about coastal malts but a trend that has emerged over the last few years. REBRANDING. Don't you just hate it when you are onto a whisky that you enjoy and consider as a regular rotation on your whisky shelf for it to then suddenly become discontinued and replaced with a new range with prices bumped up. This is what happened with favourites of mine such as Balblair and Old Pulteney. It was the first time that I genuinely felt like the industry was taking the piss out of me. I was annoyed and put off those distilleries. I have not purchased any bottles from the new range from Balblair and Old Pulteney and having tried samples I don't plan to either. The shift in the prices of 15 and 18 year old whiskies over the last few years have been noticeable. In the past you could get solid 15 year old malts for £45-£60 and 18 year old malts for £70-£80 but you are now looking above the upper limit for those these days. The only way to retaliate as a customer is to demand better quality for the extra money or walk away, which is what I have done with these two distilleries. That leaves me with the Arran range, I know I am behind the curve a bit but it took me this long to forgive them for discontinuing the 14 year old and not directly replacing it. So, I have purchased samples from their new-ish core range. I have omitted the 10 and 18 year old from the new range because I believe these are just the same whiskies as before but in new packaging and I was unable to get hold of the Amarone and Port cask finish samples. There is no direct replacement for the 14 year old so I am curious to see what the non age statement whiskies in the core range have to offer.
Before I get into the new additions to the core range it will probably be helpful if you see what I thought of the 14 year old from the old core range which I reviewed on TheFlavourChase. I rate malts on a scale of 1-5, see the legend below and my notes further below.
Ratings legend.
1 – not to my preference
2 – tastes fine but does not excite me
3 – more to my liking and would revisit occasionally
4 – very much to my liking and would consider as a regular feature on my whisky shelf
5 – permanent feature on my whisky shelf
Tasting notes.
Whisky: Arran 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 46%
Nose: Citrus zest, salt, green leaves, honey, light peat, nuts and pepper
Taste: Honey, syrup, pepper, Lucozade, salt, tinned fruits
Finish: Honey, aniseed and dark chocolate
Score: 3.75
Summary: This is a complex malt with lots going on the aroma and taste. There’s a good mixture of sweet, savoury and sour. Each of these elements are noticeable and stand out in their own right. Water helps bring out the flavours further and it also benefits from the 46%. There is a coastal element that I quite like, not as full on as Old Pulteney but more gentle and in the background. Overall I am really impressed with this Arran 14 year old and at £45 I think this offers excellent value for money.
A selection from the current the core range.
Whisky: Arran Barrel Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 43%
Nose: Slightly metallic, lemon water, watermelon, grass, light vanilla yoghurt
Taste: Some malt, lemon rind, vanilla, grass/hay, oak
Finish: Short, cinammon spice, oak and alcohol nip
Score: 2.25
Summary: Muted on the nose and on the tongue. After 10 minutes or so it opened up a bit and I could pick up some faint notes of lemon and vanilla. There is an alcohol nip to this throughout and also a notable presence of oak. 43% abv is generous for an entry level non age statement but it just doesn't deliver on flavour. This is a very generic light malt and quite forgettable.
Whisky: Arran Sauternes Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 50%
Nose: Honey, heather, lemsip, cinnamon, icing sugar, pears, hint of salt
Taste: Lemon sherbet, pears, honey, melon, ginger, malt
Finish: Malt, oak, ginger, spice
Score: 3.5
Summary: This is a lively malt that packs a punch. There is a nice degree of complexity and depth as the flavours evolve from nose to finish. I am noticing different flavours with each sip. I found that I didn't have to search for the flavours which I think is due to the generous 50% abv. The nose is replicated on the palate. There is a zesty/salty element to this that reminds me a bit of the 14 year old but lacks the fruitiness. Instead this is full of zest and spice. It appears that the sauternes casks work well with the Arran spirit.
Whisky: Arran Sherry Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 55.8%
Nose: Mixed dried fruits, cinnamon, rose water, syrup, brown sugar
Taste: Raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, syrup, plums, cherries
Finish: Sweet, roasted peanuts, hint of chocolate
Score: 2.75
Summary: This is very sweet and concentrated. It took a drop of water and time to open up but I still felt that this was dominated too much by the sherry and because of this it came across as one dimensional. I could not pick out the Arran characteristics that I am so use to. The typical sherry notes are there and they are pleasant but this lacks character for me because the characteristics of the Arran spirit have been washed out. However, if you are in the mood for a heavily sherried whisky full or typical sherry notes then this is decent choice.
Whisky: Arran Quarter Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 56.2%
Nose: Vanilla, cinnamon, oranges, honey, butterscotch, toffee
Taste: Spiced orange, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, toffee apple, syrup
Finish: Vanilla, cinnamon
Score: 3
Summary: Another sweet and dense malt which also needs a drop of water and time to open up. This is very bourbon like, of course. If I was to try this blind I would probably mistake it for a bourbon and that is where the problem lies. I want some of the Arran character to come through. This also tastes one dimensional, like the sherry cask finish. However, also like the sherry cask finish this is also quite pleasant delivers a mouthful of flavour. Interestingly, although there is no age stated on the label the information on the Arran websites suggests to me that this is 9 years old.
I think it is safe to say that none of these are meant to be a direct replacement for the 14 year old. I very much doubt the Amarone and Port cask finish would be near it either. However, out the ones I have reviewed here, I enjoyed the Sauternes Cask finish the most. The Barrel Reserve is muted and does not offer much and I don't see the point of having it as part of the range. In theory entry levels malts are designed to be safe so not to scare of new customers but they risk being forgettable. Taking a step back and looking at the presentation and price I don't feel like I am getting a bad deal. That is because the range is not chill filtered, not coloured, bottled at a generous ABV and not higher than the price of what the Arran 14 use to cost. The only thing that is missing is an age statement and although none of these are a substitute for the 14 year old, I can understand what Arran are doing here, which is pairing their spirit with different casks to satisfy a range of tastes. Most distilleries are doing this these days and there is a lot of cask experimentation going on across the industry.
Overall, I think Arran have been fair with the prices and quality that they are presenting here in their core range and that is what matters the most, something that I don't think Balblair and Old Pulteney have done. The only criticism I have is that the none of the bottles reviewed here have an age statement. Whether these are 5 or 15 years old it wouldn't matter because they are good. It would be nice to know.
I expect that those who have followed the whisky scene for a while have experienced the loss of a few favourites as I have. For those that are embarking on their journey this will inevitably happen. My instinctive reaction to a rebrand is one of fear, Benromach have just done it and I am worried about what they may have done to another favourite of mine, their 15 year old. Although easier said than done, the best outlook to have is to roll with the changes in the industry and to remain open minded. I have accepted that I can no longer get the Arran 14 at a reasonable price but I do hold hope that it comes back soon. In the meantime, I will keep a bottle of the ever reliable Clynelish 14 (a Diageo malt, how ironic!) to hand and continue to have fun exploring what else is out there.
About the author
Jag
Jag got the whisky bug back in 2014 and hasn’t looked back since. He has benefited from the excellent advice gathered from the online whisky community and felt compelled to give something back to the community by adding his voice.
He started TheFlavourChase in 2018 to share his ongoing journey into the world of whisky, however life takes over so now he tries to write as and when he can. Whether you are at the start or well into your whisky journey he hopes you find his articles helpful . His intention is to share his journey, viewpoints and provide tips to help you on your Flavour Chase.