whisky review 199 - Isle of Arran 10yo (bottled for lfw.co.uk)

[vilainkikinou]

Hi Ralphy, just bought one today... the shop retailer as you mention offered me to try it before, perfect. We then talked about the non-chill filtration and about the fact it is bottled at cask strenght, however, he told me there is a little caramel added to it (the 10 years), and you say there isn't...I guess I should believe you but do you have any evidence??? Thanks a lot and merry christmas!!!

[ralfystuff]

@vilainkikinou

don't take my word for it !!! Distillers NEED to state on their labels NO E150a , if they don't we then must suspect that they will when it suit them. A label statement is the only legitimate confirmation.

[Yoghone]

@vilainkikinou on my 10yo is clearly stated "no artificial coloring has been added"

look at the back of the cardboard

[vilainkikinou]

@Yoghone, I offered it to my father, and the cardboard box went to the bin... I guess I'll have to get one for me to get my answer... Thanks!!!

[hyefi]

Ralfy, this whiskey also appreciates sherry and cognac casks too! I have a cognac cask finish that is a bit more recent and it has a beautiful gingerbread flavors up front initially that gives way to watermelon bubblegum flavors as you let the whiskey open up! Arran is great stuff and you can't go wrong with much of their newer bottlings!

[johnyruckus]

Hi ralfy! this arran is the bourbon single cask, what do you think about the sherry cask version? Just bought one today, definitely going to open it tonight!!

[ralfystuff]

@johnyruckus

good luck ... I don't know the sherry version yet !

[degmar]

How do you think the distillery version compares to the Loch Fyne version?

[ralfystuff]

@degmar

same but different, .. I prefer the LFW version.

[11lightyear]

Hi Ralfy, What do you think of " Arran Malt Finished in a Sauternes Cask" (50ABV)?

and what is your opinion on cask finishing?

There are discounts in my local whiskey shop on these whisekys:

1. Arran Sauternes cask, 2. Nikka from the barrel, 3. Glenfarclas 10, 4. Old pulteney 12. Which one would you advice to purchase? Thank you very much.

[ralfystuff]

@11lightyear

Don't know thw Arran Saut:, cask finishing is dodgy unless done properly and with articulate maturation.

[eierer]

My girlfriend loves your dalek. :)

[AdventureSwede]

Dont want to nag about it Ralfy, but Powers and Paddys...you cant avoid them forever you know...lol.

[ralfystuff]

@AdventureSwede

sometime later !

[Webofscience]

Have you seen the "Master of Malt" website?

They specialise in 5cl samples of cheep to ultra-expensive whisky...

[bjoern54]

Have you ever had a glass of the Arran 100 degrees proof? I bought a bottle a while back and have enjoyed it tremendously, but I wondered what my favourtie expert would say... I am relatively new to the world of whisky (have been a fan of this liquid gold for a couple of years of my young life) but have tasted some great stuff - I hope to hear from you.

Malty greetings from Denmark

[ralfystuff]

@bjoern54

greetings to you too & I have tasted Arran 100, and found it reasonably decent, and appearently getting better and better !

[Wayfarer8]

About taste of eggs in this whisky - there is Efes brewery near to my home. And when I pass it by, I feel this smell. it's a waste of fermented barley with an yeast.

[swissmalt]

nasty cough youve got there. do you have a list of the indies somewhere?

i have a 4 year old slightly peated arran cask strength. almost fell of my chair when i realise how young it was. very pleasant and enjoyable malt.

[ralfystuff]

@swissmalt

check out the MaltManiacs for Indi-Lists !

[pcgenesispg]

Hey Ralfy, another great review, thank you for it...

If I want to ask you a particular question how would I do that on your Ralfy.com site? or other ways?

Also I work for the LCBO Disribution Centre and I get to see quite a few nice Single Malts pass on through, I am also curious on what other LCBO shoppers have to say about Purchasing Single Malts through the LCBO or even if you have any knowledge of the LCBO purchasing power.. cheers Andy

[ralfystuff]

@pcgenesispg

I don't have much info about LCBO, but any specific questions can be placed in a vlog comments section.

[Emperorprime]

I cant wait intill i finnish shool and get a jobb so i can buy aged whisky!! Old nr7, Jack daniels and Famous Grouse is not that good tasting.

How about this? Hello MaltHunters?

[ralfystuff]

@Emperorprime

MaltHunters now on the MaltList.

[Emperorprime]

@ralfystuff

Awesome :)

[blott1978]

Fine whisky...I will have to investigate this one further. Right now I'm half drunk on Johnny Walker Black...can't go wrong with a good classic!

[ralfystuff]

@blott1978

steady on with the volume malt-dude !

[LordGeorgeRodney]

Brilliant review Ralfy. Thank you! I have to say I had a 12 year (sherried) Arran and it was one of my top whiskies of 2010. The maritime presence was quite noticeable and gave it a lovely edge to it.

[shuboy05]

Ralfy, I previously mentioned that a local store near me acquired a few special barrels of whisky from the likes of Glendronach, Springbank, and Bladnoch. Well, I also learned that they had purchased a 36 year old Signatory Lowland Single Malt that was produced at a now closed distillery called Ladyburn. Do you happen to know more about this distillery because the most I've found is that it was owned by William Grant & Sons and made in Girvan?

[ralfystuff]

@shuboy05

rare stuff to find, increasingly collectable and to be found from Signatory bottlers. (called Rare Ayrshire)

... good luck.

[shuboy05]

@ralfystuff

Ah, that was the name Signatory was using. K&L Wines was able to reveal the distillery name anyway. At $300 a bottle, this is still less than a bottle of Port Ellen.

[ralfystuff]

@shuboy05

and a lot rarer than PE too, however less in demand by collectors.

[ralfystuff]

@shuboy05

... and don't forget to look up the MaltManiacs info: on Ladyburn.

[bonheurbrun]

Well maybe y'all should come to Quebec, Canada instead. Our roads are the worst in Canada.

[givemeanaccount]

@bonheurbrun agreed. the roads are as bad as the SAQ. This province is the garbage of Canada.

[habacuk1985]

Have you thought of doing review

s on australian pakistani indian german and welsh whisk/eys?

[ralfystuff]

@habacuk1985

yes ! ... World Whisky reviews later this year !

[Megawatt]

I actually like the old single cognac cask. The St. Emilion finish was also incredible. The LCBO has a single sherry cask out now; would really love to try it.

[fasterischead]

I had a 9-year-old bourbon'd Arran awhile back, and was fairly meh about it. Very pound cake and powdered sugar, if you get what I mean (with some lemon candy and red apple slices on the side) - good for dessert, but lacking direction. Well, maybe it was just young. But I got the sense that Arran is unassertive enough on its own that it could really reward things like "alternative" cask maturation - probably wine more than cognac! (think Merlot or somesuch, and not just as a finish).

[BirmzWeedhead]

great video mate

[degmar]

Bottle 199 for Review 199? You planned that didn't you?!

[ralfystuff]

@degmar

... fitted in well didn't it, ... thanks for noticing !

[ZEDZOR2]

You couldnt sell sample bottles without revenue tax on it,the paper work etc would make it impractical,maltyteasers.

[ralfystuff]

@ZEDZOR2

... even with tax revenue & paperwork. modestly priced half-mini's could be worth while as novel marketing to sell 70cl bottles of older, high-margin Whiskies.

[ZEDZOR2]

@ralfystuff I think if their was a market for high end minitures then the companies would and do produce them but what ur suggesting is selling samples u have been gifted as a buisness this is a totally different thing and would b fraught with problems, its not that ur a bad sales man its just an impractical idea it seems to me.Companies favour bigger bottles because processing is quicker smaller bottles mess up the machines etc so they charge comprably more for that service.Luv ur channel Ralfy

[FrontSideBus]

I'd like to one day tour every distillery on a motorbike!

[kakus1]

I guess that whiskyreview 200 is about Glenfarclas.. : )

[TheStravaigar]

Over the weekend opened a bottle of The Glenlivet 16 year old from the Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition series usually available from the distillery. Any plans to review anything from this selection in the future.

[chrish12345]

Nice review Ralfy, plus was that a ghost orb thing flying past at 0.12 and 0.17?

[ralfystuff]

@chrish12345

... probably !

[grzechu1987]

Ralfy, I've been wondering what is your personal favourite whisky? And what mark did you give it?

[ralfystuff]

@grzechu1987

... WhiskyReview 24

[InvincibleIrishman]

love the vids...and probably not worth a comment...but can I hear peacocks in the background? or am I just crazy....

[ralfystuff]

@InvincibleIrishman

your not crazy, ... it's the peacocks.

[blurry81]

Love ur reviews Ralfy keep up the good work :-)

[waschdscho]

first ! : )

did you ever review the "double barrels" ? i´m thinking about buying the caol ila/breaval.... tasted it on a whisky festival and liked it. would love to know what you think about it. greets from berlin !

[ralfystuff]

@waschdscho

I tasted an early version of Laing's DoubleBarrel at Whisky Fringe Fest a few years back and was not that impressed, however it is a good idea and standards could be good, ... and it's something every one can do if yu happen to have two bottles of malt whisky that are sympathetic to each other.