Arran Sherry Cask

This bottling sits within The Bodega core range entry that joined the rebranded Arran lineup in autumn 2019. Each batch carries small variations in cask selection from the working inventory of oloroso seasoned hogsheads at Lochranza, since the casks themselves vary in their seasoning intensity, age and previous fill history. Arran does not release batch identifiers on the front label, but Whiskybase tracks releases by recorded bottling year and ABV consistency.

Maturation runs approximately seven years in first fill oloroso seasoned American oak hogsheads, selected to match the lighter Lochranza house style. Bottling at the natural 55.8% cask strength is held consistent across batches, with the figure reflecting the integrated post evaporation strength of the working batch rather than a target value. Non chill filtered, no added colour.

First fill oloroso seasoning leaves a concentrated load of sotolon, furfural and oxidised polyphenols in the cask wood, the products of the oloroso wine's own oxidative ageing under flor free conditions. Combined with American oak's native whisky lactone profile, the cask drives the resulting whisky into dark sherry, dried fig and dark cocoa territory while retaining the underlying Arran fresh fruit character. Flavour profile: dried fruit, chocolate, sherried, cooked fruit, old wood, vanilla.