Arran – Quarter Cask The Bothy Single Malt Scotch Whisky (70cl, 56%)

This is an Arran single malt bottled at a natural cask strength of 56% in a 70cl bottle. It matured first in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels, then moved to smaller 125 litre Quarter casks of American oak, where the greater contact between whisky and wood gives a faster, more intense maturation. The result is full-bodied, with rich vanilla sweetness and bold pepper spice. It is bottled without chill-filtration or added colouring. Small casks were common on Arran in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries because they were easier to handle and move around the island. The nose is apple tart and pineapple brioche. The palate opens with Arran's citrus, then cinnamon and vanilla, and the finish brings honey, pineapple, vanilla and coconut.