2011 Arran, AD Rattray 5 yo 57.3%

Generally age brings complexity to whisky, but it is surprising what young malts can achieve sometimes. Arran distillery opened its doors in 1995, in one of the most remote spots on the eponymous island, and most of their releases are still inevitably on the young side since they have yet to build up the reserve of aged barrels that older distilleries often have. This dark bottling is full of orange and wood spice character. Water brings out a salinity which serves as a reminder that the distillery is only a minute from the shore. (NT 02/12/16)