Lochranza Distillery, located at the northern tip of the Isle of Arran, has been producing single malt whisky for over three decades. As one of the few independent distilleries in Scotland, it’s known for crafting sweet and fruity expressions with a creamy mouthfeel and full-bodied texture. The drive to the distillery is beautiful, with hilly landscape all around. The distillery has a stunning backdrop of hills with golden eagles often flying above. I managed to spot one of them on my last visit. In fact, in 1994 they had to pause the construction of the buildings to allow the eagle family quiet space for nesting.
Since the launch of its sister distillery, Lagg, which focuses on peated whisky, Lochranza has phased out its own peated production. A few smoky releases may still be found in shops, but no peated spirit is made at the distillery.
Production at Lochranza
Arran new make is very fruity and there are many things during the production process that help to create the desired flavour profile. The fermentation takes around 85 hours, creating a wash that tastes cider-like. The stills are fairly small with a long and narrow, nearly 90-degree angle on the lyne arm to maximise the copper contact. The distillation is done slowly, at six to seven litres per minute, allowing the alcohol to interact more with the copper. It takes about two hours to collect the heart, the middle cut of the spirit run. The flow rate is one of the lowest in Scotland.
To keep the focus on the fruitiness, their cut point is quite early. Typically, it falls between 63.5% and 75%. This helps in avoiding the heavier flavours and leaving more of the lighter, fruity notes. The distillery’s total maximum capacity is just over one million litres, so it is a relatively small site. The focus is on lower quantities but of very high-quality whisky. Perhaps this is the reason why their quality is consistent, and they have a dedicated fan base. I like how they also keep their whisky accessible and affordable.
Arran Single Malt
Core range
Lochranza Distillery’s core-range whiskies include a multi-award-winning (year on year) 10-year-old, which is bottled at 46% ABV. If you haven’t tried it, this is your sign! It’s an exceptional whisky with aromas of citrus, sunscreen, butterscotch and honey. On the palate you get flavours such as vanilla pudding, toffee, banana milkshake and cooked apple, with more nuttiness and oak on the finish. Lovely mouthfeel too! The other two age statements in the core range are an 18-year-old and a 25-year-old.
There’s a selection of wine cask finishes: Amarone, Port, Sauternes, the first being my personal favourite. Think cherries, berry jam and dark chocolate. It makes an excellent Rob Roy cocktail.
Their Quarter Cask release, also known as The Bothy, is bottled at cask strength at 56.2% ABV. The spirit is matured in first-fill bourbon barrels before being transferred into smaller American oak quarter casks (125l). These smaller casks allow more contact with the oak and therefore the spirit soaks up the flavours faster.
The sherry cask release, The Bodega, showcases the distillery’s early style. It is a non-age statement (NAS), although some sources hint the spirit is around 7 years old. I received a small sample from the distillery, so below are my tasting notes of the release. Very enjoyable and perfect for the season.
The Bodega, 55.8% ABV
Colour: Light sunset
Nose: Burnt salted caramel, coffee cake, chocolate coated raisins, fig jam
Palate: Winter spices, black cherry, blackcurrant, blackberry, dried herbs, liquorice
Finish: Nuttiness, pink peppercorn
Arran Private Cask Releases
If you have a chance to visit the distillery, keep an eye out for their special cask expressions as these are only available locally. The Private Cask collection is wide and currently includes a range of age statements, with casks ranging fromBourbon, Madeira, Sherry, Shiraz and more.
If you are looking for something that represents the distillery’s core character, that orchard fruit sweetness, buttery pastry and creamy vanilla, then you should reach for the 13-year-old first-fill bourbon barrel (57.3% ABV).
The 11-year-old Shiraz Cask Finish, 56.5% ABV (6.5 years in bourbon, 4.5 years in Australian Shiraz) is very berried, both on the nose and on the palate. The palate also brings flavours of Bakewell tart and spice.
My favourite of the ones I tried was the 10-year-old second-fill sherry cask. See my detailed tasting notes below.
2nd-Fill Sherry Private Cask, 61.4%ABV
Colour: Dark amber
Nose: Yum! Orange peel, cognac-filled Christmas chocolates, dark chocolate with orange, juicy orange cake, maple syrup, caramelised brown sugar
Palate: Prunes, figs, almonds, raisins, subtle balsamic note, autumnal, touch of leather
Finish: Woody, waxy lemon, subtle truffle note
Arran Signature Series
This is a four-part limited-edition series from Lochranza Distillery. The current release is number three, so one more to go. So far, they have all hit the mark for me, with each release being unique and interesting yet fundamentally Arran. They all have that sweetness and creamy, weighty texture.
The first release was probably the sweetest and felt like a candy store in liquid form without being grossly sickly. Not sure if that makes it sound a bit much, but believe me, it wasn’t. They used remnant casks to create this juicy single malt. A great idea! The second release, Barrel Bonfire, was peated to 42ppm and finished in quarter casks from Koval Distillery. I’m sure you can imagine the divine combination of peat smoke and sweet fruity notes beautifully intertwined.
The most recent one, Duero Discovery, showcases Arran spirit in red wine casks. Initially aged in second-fill bourbon barrels for six years before being transferred into Spanish red wine casks for a further six years. See my tasting notes below.
Duero Discovery, 50% ABV
Colour: Apple juice
Nose: Sweet stewed fruits, apple crumble, caramelised peach, dark chocolate with sea salt, crushed nuts, sticky fruit juice, orange
Palate: Pink mushroom sweets, juicy blackcurrant, strawberry jam filled birthday cake, fennel
Finish: Candy floss, meringue, oak, a touch of black pepper, mouthwatering
Look forward to seeing what they will do with the final Signature Series expression. If you haven’t tried the previous ones yet, there is still time as some bottles are available online and may be found in selected retailers.
Overall
I feel like Arran single malt has been underrated for a long time, but perhaps within the last couple of years things have started to change. Maybe it’s the upgraded bottle design that is catching the eye of the enthusiasts, or perhaps the word is finally getting around. Personally, I had only tried a couple of their core range releases before visiting the distillery for the first time last year. By taking part on the tour and sampling a range of their whiskies, I fully understood what the distillery is all about. Their style of whisky is on the sweeter side with significant weight on the texture that translates into a creamy mouthfeel.
Their 10-year-old is one of the best core releases, and it is no wonder it gains recognition year after year. I’ve tried it side by side with several other 10-year-old age statements and for me it is hands down the best of the ones I tried.
The Arran new make really works beautifully in various casks, and I really appreciate how no matter what the cask or finish, you can always detect the distillery’s DNA. Also, Lochranza is not simply all about the whisky, it is also about the people and the place. You really feel this when visiting the distillery. I’ve now been there twice and both times we were greeted with big smiles and a welcoming atmosphere. The tours have been fun and informative without being samey. The tastings are fun and full of energy, with plenty of interaction with the guests. The people who work for Lochranza (and Lagg) are very much part of the distillery’s story.
Have you visited the distillery? Do you have a favourite Arran single malt?
Disclaimer: This blog post is not sponsored by Lochranza Distillery; however, the tour and tasting were complimentary. The distillery also gifted me some samples to try at home.
Some of the links used are affiliate links. If you buy through the links, I may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price for you.
