Arran 18 Old (2022 Release)

[@krishnar3493]

Had older style 18 which was ok. Merry Christmas, Boys! Great listening to your thoughts all through the year. Looking forwards to your thoughts and recommendations in 2023. Stay healthy and stay safe!!

[@sierrastriker77]

wow, great heads up here. I almost pulled the trigger on a US retail bottle down here in So Cal at $170 and I'm glad I held off with awareness of how different the 2022 bottling really is. Might have to suck it up and try and source a UK sherry bomb bottle from pre 2022 and do my own comparison! Big thanks to you both Mike and Narby, cheers!

[@maltreviews]

I am not sure what batches the US is getting right now as this was a very recent release from UK. Cheers

[@scnullois]

I significantly prefer the older heavily sherried one. That bottle will be a legend and is one of my favorite sherried drams after the glenturret 12. Got myself a backup bottling for the bunker. Wish I got more…

[@maltreviews]

Ya I like that one better too! Smart choice

[@steveno7058]

Sounds great. I liked the previous Arran 14/18 that was a nice balance of First and refill Sherry. Was a bit disappointed when the new style came out and was 100% sherry

[@maltreviews]

This is back with balance!

[@fernmcclear2789]

Appreciate the heads up on this version. Loved the initial “new” bottling and glad I bunkered an extra one. Even tried head to head vs 2017 Allardice-I know it’s not fair with the older juice in the GD. Btw, I am with and commend you on the Glenturret 12 WOY choice-accessible for common folks like myself especially compared to the epic bottles you review. Happy Holidays Guys!

[@maltreviews]

Yes nice to have back ups in case that dark sherry style doesnt come back. Thank you Fern!

[@vangstr]

How can you tell release year???

[@canal-do-guga-namura]

We want natural color, so let's not complain about batch variations.

[@maltreviews]

Touche!!! Cheers! 🥃

[@antondimatteo3835]

$299 + at all retailers in Australia. Absolutely absurd but it still sells fast.

[@maltreviews]

Thats crazy

[@McIntyresMalts]

@@maltreviews everything here is priced more than anywhere else it seems 😢

[@VaryingViewpoint]

Great review!

[@maltreviews]

Thank you

[@McIntyresMalts]

Sweaty sauna and rain are two VERY different notes 😅 Great review as usual gents!

[@isherpa]

Marmalady as f@$k! 😂 love it

[@maltreviews]

haha

[@rivenbeef]

That is EXACTLY what I got from it. Like orange marmalade distilled into whisky!

[@DonnerPassWhisky]

Wow! That looks like the color of the older style bottles and the current 21. I recently got out a sample of the dark one I got in 2020 to have for the holidays. Remember it being good but was blown away by it and immediately went online for a replacement. Got one in the US at internetwines for $157 total and it is the dark sherry Bomb I was expecting. Had a new style bottle of the 21 I got in 2019 and it looked like the one you have. Was told it was all sherry cask? Curious if you have one of those to do a side by side with? Cheers guy's and Merry Christmas

[@maltreviews]

I dont think we do but I have to look. Cheers bud

[@keithpetersen560]

Sounds like they have definitely used some bourbon barrels and certainly not 1st fill sherry. They came out of the hole in 2021 with that heavy sherry and it was a hit. So maybe they wanted to produce more bottles at a lower cost, using less quality barrels to meet demand. Who knows? Great review.

[@maltreviews]

Ya I think so! That actually came out in 2019 with the new bottle and heavily sherried. Not sure honestly, Cheers

[@troylee3700]

129 EUR over here equals 137 USD , still on my list

[@SM-ec5vc]

Nice review, is this lighter version the version that's currently being stocked at The Whisky Exchange?

[@maltreviews]

I would assume so

[@peatbull3426]

So its looks like expression for sherry finished/sherried whisky lovers more than sherry/sherry bomb lovers and for Arran spirit profile fans as well. Is it right? Slàinte lads 😁🥂🙋🏻‍♂️

[@maltreviews]

Yes!

[@franklampard6316]

The problem with Arran 18 is Arran 10. It’s half the price and almost as good.

[@maltreviews]

the 10 is great value

[@jackthepickledhound]

See?!!!! The darker whisky is better

[@jackthepickledhound]

I've never tried anything in the new bottles but the old 10 and the old 18 and batch 3 of the Bothy Quarter Cask. Intellectually, I want to drink bourbon matured single malt but there's something about spicy fruity sherried whisky that is compelling. I expected to have paid $180 for this if I saw it in the wild. This new one sound like Ancnoc being partly sherry and partly bourbon which is nice too.

[@maltreviews]

lol

[@maltreviews]

@@jackthepickledhound Def more balanced here on this one. Both are good though

[@canal-do-guga-namura]

Sipping this for the second time today… so disappointing. Reminds me too much of the 10y. It even feels young like the 10. The GlenScotia 18 blows this out of the water and so much cheaper. Hopefully this bottle improves with time, gonna leave it alone for a good while.

[@Rohit_M]

The 18 year olds are getting pricier and harder to get your hands on. I got 2 bottles a while ago and they are definitely darker. I will doublecheck but they must be early 2021 release as I bought them a while. Cheers guys!

[@maltreviews]

Yah they seem to disappear now. Interesting to see what others think of the lighter style now