Arran 1996 Old and Wise Cask #055

The Old and Wise label sits within the broader Limited Edition programme as a specific themed release identity used for long matured single cask bottlings. The title plays on the proverb that age brings wisdom, with the bottling presenting a long matured cask under that themed framing. Cask 055 from the 1996 vintage was matured twenty two years before bottling in 2018 for the Belgian market.

Spirit was distilled at Lochranza in 1996 and matured twenty two years in a single Oloroso seasoned cask referenced 055. Bottled in 2018 at 50.9% without chill filtration and without added colour, with the 305 bottle outturn reflecting the working yield of the cask after twenty two years.

Twenty two years of Oloroso cask maturation produces deep cask integration, with the sherry compound layer of sotolon, furfural and developed oxidised polyphenols well integrated against the underlying Arran spirit signature. The recorded flavour profile of citric, dried fruit, honey, malt extract, vanilla and fresh fruit captures the wide aromatic range produced by long aged Oloroso single casks, with both the underlying spirit character and the developed cask compounds remaining visible in the integrated bottling.