2017 Arran, AD Rattray 5 yo 55.4%

Grass and lemon, strawberries and cream; not a showy malt, but it so pretty and poised, so well put together. Generally age brings complexity to a whisky, but sometimes it is wonderful what young malts like this can achieve. Arran distillery opened its doors in 1995, and remains one of Scotland’s few independently-owned distilleries. A splash of water brings out a salinity which serves as a reminder that the distillery is only a minute away from the shore. (NT 27/06/23)