Local Barley is a thing these days, taking inspiration from Springbank and from the wider interest in heritage grains and terroir-driven whisky. Today’s dram is a 10 year old Arran, the first edition of Arran’s Local Barley series.
The Optic barley was grown at Bellevue Farm by the Currie family. It matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill sherry hogsheads, in proportions similar to their classic 10 year old expression. From now on they will release an annual bottling showcasing different barley varieties and cask types.
Arran 10 yo ‘Arran Barley’ – Optic (50%, OB 2025, Batch #001, 18.000 btl.)
Nose: fresh and inviting, with Arran’s typical orchard fruits. Apples and pears, lemon peels, slight hints of green banana and caramelized breakfast cereals. You do get a nice grainy core, more so than in the regular release which seems a tad sweeter and lighter. There’s a minty and gingery edge, even a whiff of mustard, on top of the usual honeyed notes and vanilla custard. Mild tannins underneath.
Mouth: quite rich, with the expected vanilla sweetness and candied peaches and oranges, but also herbal honey and sharper white pepper and ginger. A wee bitter edge of grapefruit as well. Then aniseed comes out, along with lemon acidity and green hints of gooseberries. Youngish oak is never far away.
Finish: medium to long, with more breakfast cereals and this bittersweet green element. Dry cidcer and green banana, with anise.
More complex than the standard 10 Years, that’s for sure. Perhaps also a bit thicker and drier, with a profound grainy core and spicy intensity. At this price it simply offers a lot of value for money – let’s hope the series keeps such a high level. I found a sample over at Whiskysite.nl.