Cadenhead's Whisky Sample Arran 20 Year Old 175th Anniversary 2017 Release (30ml, 53.3%)

Cadenhead's Whisky Sample Arran 20 Year Old 175th Anniversary 2017 Release (30ml, 53.3%)

The Arran 20 Year Old Cadenhead’s 175th Anniversary release is a landmark bottle for two reasons: it celebrates the 175th year of Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, and it features spirit from Arran’s first year of production (1996).

Because it was matured for two decades in Ex-Bourbon Hogsheads, this expression bypasses the wine and sherry finishes often found in Arran’s official lineup. Instead, it offers a "time capsule" look at the distillery's pure, honeyed, and citrus-forward DNA from its very earliest days.

Tasting Notes

Nose: An immediate rush of "yellow" flavors. It leads with lemon shortbread, ripe bananas, and golden syrup. There is a beautiful floral sweetness, like gorse bushes and heather honey. As the glass warms, more complex notes of beeswax, vanilla sponge cake, and a hint of tropical coconut emerge, characteristic of high-quality old bourbon wood.

Palate: The texture is remarkably creamy and mouth-coating. The palate opens with sweet malty cereal and orchard fruits (think poached pears and green apples). Mid-palate, it turns tropical with pineapple and a touch of mango, balanced by a zesty citrus pith. A gentle warming spice of cinnamon and nutmeg provides a sturdy backbone.

Finish: Long, clean, and satisfyingly sweet. It leaves a lingering taste of vanilla fudge and lemon zest, with a final, very faint maritime salinity—a nod to the distillery’s coastal location in Lochranza.