Quarter Cask is where Arran turns the volume up. The distillery's standard range is honeyed, unpeated and approachable; this takes the same spirit and puts it into 125 litre quarter casks, roughly half the size of a standard barrel, then bottles it at natural cask strength with nothing added and nothing taken away. Cask size matters more than most people realise. A smaller cask has a far higher ratio of wood surface to liquid, so the spirit is in contact with proportionally much more oak and matures considerably faster. What that produces here is intensity rather than simply age: concentrated fruit, pronounced vanilla and coconut from the American oak, and a depth that a standard cask would take considerably longer to deliver. Bottled at 56.2 percent alcohol by volume, non chill filtered and at natural colour, so the texture and the hue are exactly as the cask left them. The distillery's own description is a good guide. It is aromatic and intensely fruity, leading with tropical fruit and coconut, then moving into warming spiced vanilla and what they call gourmet apple notes, which is a fair way of describing the concentrated orchard character that runs through it. At this strength it rewards patience. Taste it neat first to see the full weight of it, then add water in small increments, because cask strength Arran opens up considerably and the fruit becomes noticeably more expressive with a little dilution. It is a genuinely rich, warming whisky and a substantial step up in intensity from the ten year old.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
56.2% |
| Proof |
112.4 |
| Size |
700ml |
| Country |
Scotland |
| Region |
Island, Isle of Arran |
| Category |
Single Malt Scotch Whisky |
| Expression |
Quarter Cask, The Bothy |
| Cask Type |
Quarter cask, 125 litres |
| Bottling Strength |
Natural cask strength |
| Age |
No age statement |
| Mashbill |
100% malted barley, unpeated |
| Filtration |
Non chill filtered |
| Colour |
Natural, no added colouring |
| Distillery |
Lochranza Distillery, Isle of Arran, established 1995 |
| Coordinates |
55.7030° N, 5.2907° W |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep golden amber, natural and uncoloured.
Nose: Aromatic and intensely fruity, leading with tropical fruit and coconut over warming spiced vanilla.
Palate: Rich and concentrated at full strength, with tropical fruit, coconut and gourmet apple carried on vanilla sweetness and a warming oak spice.
Finish: Long and warming, closing on spiced vanilla, orchard fruit and a lingering oak note.
FAQ
What proof is Arran Quarter Cask? This bottle is 112.4 proof, or 56.2 percent alcohol by volume, bottled at natural cask strength. Cask strength releases can vary between batches, so check the figure on the bottle.
What is a quarter cask? A 125 litre cask, roughly half the size of a standard barrel. The smaller volume means a much higher ratio of wood surface to liquid, so the whisky matures faster and picks up more oak character.
What does The Bothy refer to? It is the name given to this expression on the packaging. A bothy is a simple shelter found across the Scottish landscape.
Is it peated? No. Arran's standard range is unpeated, so this is fruit and vanilla driven rather than smoky, despite the high strength.
Should I add water? Yes, after tasting it neat. At 56.2 percent the whisky is concentrated, and small additions of water open the tropical fruit and vanilla noticeably.
Where can I buy Arran Quarter Cask online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
