Whisky Review - Arran 16 Year Old - Rest & Be Thankful

Arran 16 Year old 1998 / Single cask / Bourbon barrel / 56.8% Sourced and bottled by the 'Rest & Be Thankful Whisky Co.', this 1998 Arran has been matured for 16 years in a single bourbon cask before being bottled on 23 February 2015. It's not your usual bourbon-matured whisky, and is a refreshing change from the norm. Arran Single Cask 98/820 Tasting Notes Nose: Caramelised orange marmalade, peanut butter, digestive biscuits, tropical fruits, kindling wood. The addition of a drop of water brings out a burst of banana toffee (yes, they do exist), and more nuttiness. Palate: Spiced sweetness like a peppered creamy toffee dances on the tongue. There's a lovely oily fruity surprise that becomes dry and woody. Water tones down the pepper and brings out the wood and dryness. Finish: Medium-long. Sweet with a warming chilli-tingle. The sweetness stays, but moves over to that dry woodiness and leaves your mouth slightly oily. Currently available as Abbey Whisky's Malt of the Month for May. Dram on... Sean