1996 Arran 23 Yr (PM Spirits)

Musty library. Drinking this made me vicariously nostalgic for reading a leather bound book in an old abandoned study even though I’ve never done that. I really like this idea...taking a spirit with a very unique and specific characteristic like Arran after aging for 16yrs then moving it to cognac casks for 7 years in France. And it’s the cognac that takes the lead on the nose and the arrival with its sweet grapes and mild honeyed cloying texture. Then the Arran spirit comes through and takes over through the middle. Thin, fruity and covered in cognac sweetness. My only nitpick is in combining two very different spirits with very different roles they ended up a little bit in between a cognac and a scotch. As a niche bottle I have only once in my life I really appreciate it. But I doubt I’d ever buy another bottle. Glad to have experienced this one and encourage more distilleries to do this more often!

This was actually aged in ex-cognac barrels.