The Master of Distilling series from Arran Distillery highlights the work of Master Distiller James MacTaggart. Each whisky in the series is made from casks personally selected by MacTaggart, showcasing the distillery’s unique style. MacTaggart’s extensive experience has significantly contributed to Arran’s reputation. The series includes two limited edition releases, with 12,000 bottles produced for each. The whiskies are aged in special casks, like Palo Cortado sherry casks, chosen by MacTaggart to enhance their flavour. The distillery, founded in 1995, is located in Lochranza, where the climate helps shape the whisky’s character. The series has received positive reviews, reflecting MacTaggart’s commitment to quality, but let’s make our own take on these Arran Master of Distilling expressions.
Arran 2007 Master of Distilling #1 – James MacTaggart (2017) Review
The first expression in the (short-lived) Arran Master of Distilling series is an Arran 2007 matured in 1st Fill Bourbon Barrels and bottled in 2017 at 10 years of age. This batch is comprised of 12,000 bottles filled at 54.2% ABV, without chill filtration nor additional colouring. Surprisingly, seven or eight years later, it’s still available, and at a ‘reasonable’ price: about $115 in the US, £125 in the UK and €150 in the Netherlands, or you can try at auction.
Colour:
Amber
Nose:
Neat: The bourbon casks were quite impactful, as the nose greats you with lots of vanilla custard, rice pudding with a bit of caramel, summery fruits (peaches, apricots) and oranges. The wood also imparts coconut shavings and a pinch of pepper. Oh and Arlequin candies.
With water: Sawdust, tea leaves and fewer fruits.
Palate:
Neat: It starts with barley and slightly unripe and acidic oranges. Green apples, candied ginger, hints of passion fruits and unripe pineapple, there’s a nice light sourness. Pepper and wood, unfortunately slightly plank-ish. Nice velvety mouthfeel.
With water: The palate gets sweeter first, then spicier. More wood planks as well, and some lemons.
Finish:
Medium length on wood spices, lemons and dry oak.
Comments:
Nice but stay clear of reduction; it’s better drunk neat. Inviting nose but despite what the raw tasting notes say, the palate is slightly letting us down, as the fruits are not really vibrant and the cask itself is a bit overriding the character of the distillate. But a good dram nonetheless, and still available at a reasonable price.
Rating: 6.5/10
Arran 2006 Master of Distilling #2 – The Man With The Golden Glass (2019) Review
The second (and last) expression in the Master of Distilling series is an Arran 2006, bottled in 2019 at 12 years of age, after a two year finishing period in Palo Cortado sherry casks said to have been handpicked by MacTaggart in Spain. This second released is also made of 12,000 bottles, this time at 51.8% ABV and still without colouring nor chill filtration. Still available with shops all around Europe, listing it between €75 and €100 for instance, a bit more than £100 in the UK (and sold out in the US?)
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: The nose is quite sharper than the first edition. A lot of nuts with almonds, hazelnuts and nougat. Light spices, mushrooms, traces of vanilla and honey, raisins and plums.
With water: After reduction, the bourbon casks from the main maturation start to appear, with vanilla and custard, but without removing the sharpness. White chocolate and coconut shavings.
Palate:
Neat: The palate starts sweet, then quickly turning sour. Very limited spicy heat, again well behaved at cask strength. Honey and vanilla upfront, followed by citrus. Then we take a turn into usual dry sherry land. The development is salty, yeasty and nutty, with raisins, raspberries, blackcurrants, cherries and plums.
With water: More of that nutty yeasty sherry and sourness.
Finish:
Cherry and dry sherry, then spice, citrus and wood.
Comments:
The Palo Cortado finish left a strong imprint on the Arran distillate, completely overwriting its usual partition. I’m less convinced by this one; I used to like Palo Cortado finishes but this one works less on me. Maybe my palate is still evolving, or there is a bit of a dissonance between the original casks and the finishing ones.
Rating: 6/10
It took me some time to get to those samples, but thanks Mike! Bottle pictures courtesy of Whiskybase as usual.
