Arran Sherry Cask 'The Bodega' 55.8% - Whisky Wednesday

[@tml6556]

Always great to see people enjoying our whisky! I work at Arran Lagg Distillery

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Oh wow! I've been looking forward to your first release for ages! Heard great things about the new make!

[@jakelockhart2308]

Really enjoyed your review of this personal fav of mine. Only came across you after seeing you on the ‘Whiskey Vault’. But enjoy your perspective on things and look forward to viewing some of your archive reviews as well as future ones too.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Hey, Jake! Thank you, and welcome to the channel! I didn't realise I was on The Whiskey Vault. Could you link me to the episode? I'd like to pass on my thanks.

[@whiskywings]

Just opened a bottle and watching along.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Yeah! Thoughts?

[@keithjesiolowski5162]

Enjoy your relaxed demeanor, thoughtful appraisals and comparisons to other products. I always learn to appreciate and look for the nuances. Thank you.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Thank you, Keith. Those words mean alot.

[@Paul-ProefWhisky]

One of our favourite Arrans 👍🏻

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Great taste!

[@cliffnorman178]

It is without doubt an amazing whisky. So special. Arran does it again. One of their best.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Truer words never spoken

[@onewomanswhisky]

Another Arran fan here! I only discovered them a few years ago, and have enjoyed every single thing I've gotten from that distillery. The Quarter Cask is an absolute stunner to my mind, though weirdly I seem to get a lot of pine resin flavours and smells from the bottle I picked up. Surprised me at first but I don't care, it's delicious! Takes water well too. The Port, Sauternes, and Amarone finishes work wonderfully with Arran's base spirit. I was lucky to get my hands on the last vestiges of those older bottlings here in Ontario. Hope to see The Bodega some time in the near future when it finally makes it this far, definitely on the wish list! Another excellent review, thanks Phil 🥃🥃! Marian 🇨🇦

[@WhiskyWednesday]

A wonderful expression of love for the distillery, I hope they read through all of these. Here's hoping The Bodega hits your part of the world soon!

[@gareth630]

Love the 10 yr old and the quarter cask are Arran building a little empire, if so I wish them well.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Building it up and up!

[@alexcruz271]

Gifted one and I have one. This review (and Whisky Friend) convinced me to buy a back up bottle. Cheers!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Great to hear! Alan and I have similar tastes, this us a favourite. Cheers!

[@DutchLiam84]

Great review again, Phil. I'll pour myself a glass of this one tonight as well. Cheers

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Enjoy, Liam!

[@WhiskyInThe6]

Had this sitting on my desk for a bunch of months now. Likely going to review it soon. Great review Phil. Cheers.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Would love to hear your thoughts on it, Rob.

[@thewhiskyfriend]

Great job Phil I loved them both my preference was just for the bodega... No surprise there fella... Nice one...

[@WhiskyWednesday]

No surprise at all, still a beautiful whisky.

[@DanB0yD]

I got the Sherry cask, Quarter cask & Port cask at the moment. The sherry is my favorite so far.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

I csn totally see why, stunning product. The QC wins it for me, only just.

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

I have only had a sample, but loved every minute of it. The palate was what one me over. Dark, dry, I got a little more rich fruit than I heard here. Great review and thanks for sharing your experience with us. Cheers!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

It is a darker, richer style of sherry. Especially for something below 10YO.

[@SippersSocialClub]

Great review, really solid pour!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Jeremy! Always a pleasure.

[@DonnerPassWhisky]

Nice to see you have both these bottles on the bar. For me they are a perfect pair to have on hand together. Still haven't had the Arran 10 yet because I keep buying these instead. Cheers.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Oh, man. Wait until you get that 10YO. Not as heavy, but the levels in it are so fresh and delicious!

[@foodquig]

I haven't tried this expression, but the Amarone cask finish edition in the older bottle is wonderful...

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Loved that Amarone finish, the new one is as good, Port Cask is also very tasty!

[@foodquig]

@@WhiskyWednesday I have a bottle of the Port Cask and a Sauternes waiting in the wings...

[@jonnyfish76]

I LOVED both. I also do think that the Bodega opened up quite nicely as I got it past the neck. I devoured one bottle. There's only 4 left in the bunker...

[@WhiskyWednesday]

The bunker must be filled!

[@deeshmond]

Loved this one (and Arran in general). Definitely found that it got better as I went through the bottle. Under 50 quid for a cask strength sherry bomb... I'll take that any day!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

I have to revisit this bottle, currently sat in the office and hasn't been touched for months.

[@mrnosebear7406]

Again an excellent whisky review including even references to similar whiskies in the market . I had the Arran 10 which has a good price and excellent quality. I am really curious now about the Bodega. I need to try it one day. I am also looking forward to the whisky coming from Lagg in the future. Cheers mate and greetings from Germany

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Lagg gets us all excited! Cannot wait. Thank you for the kind comments. Cheers!

[@jbar6284]

Minor point: on the Arran website, under their news section, they state that their Sherry Cask The Bodega, 55.8 is 7yo, not 9yo. Their Quarter Cask The Bothy is the 9yo one: 7 years in bourbon casks, 2 years finishing in quarter casks. I can't link direct here as yt don't seem to allow external links. I recently got a Sherry Cask to try and really enjoyed the first couple of drams. I've been reluctant to get the QC as some reviewers (e.g. whiskybase) find the wood excessive, but that may be a batch thing?

[@WhiskyWednesday]

It's possibly a batch thing. I've had 3, and they were all very consistent. Regarding the age you are also correct.

[@stihlnz]

Thanks Phil, inspired review. The 1/4 cask won our whiskey club blind tasting last month ... so I got one of those, very nice, it has a similar restrained nose, way bigger on the taste (House character?).... will get this to follow the journey. Arran are making great progress ...I wonder what else they will come up with next.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Stunning distillery, can't wait to get their older stocks in the collection! House character is certianly bigger on the taste, fully agree.

[@primewhisky]

Great review:) tried Arran years ago and did not like it so much but then I got a sample of the 25y 2020 and was blown away, so no i will have to retry the Arran corerange

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Ah, that 25YO! What a whisky. The whole core range is wonderful, the 10YO, Quarter Cask and this in particular. 18YO is a sherry monster.

[@binnyheimann8647]

This sounds amazing! I want to try it...

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Binny! Let me know when you're next in the shop, I'll bring a sample in.

[@binnyheimann1336]

Not sure when I'm next coming into town but will do 🙂

[@kevinetheridge7201]

Hi Phil I’m really enjoying the bodega as you say it’s got more going on than the usual Sherry cask flavours, I get a lovely apple juice taste in the mix. Great review as usual, all the best.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

I'll be looking for that apple juice note as the bottle opens up! Cheers, Kevin!

[@aaronedgerton1843]

Another great review 😁👍👍

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Thank you, Aaron!

[@billyhughes9776]

"That blew my mind and I really need to buy another one, because that's just not enough to live on,....anymore" -- LOL! Whisky/Whiskey = Life. I will have to make a trip over the state line to try to source one of these bottles,..or both if possible.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Both side by side is quite a pleausre.

[@umaguma122]

Picked up a bottle over Xmas and found this very enjoyable. Love what Arran are producing atm. Great review 🥃

[@WhiskyWednesday]

They are top draw, can't see thst falling away any time soon. Enjoy!

[@peterwilcox7188]

Hello,,they are eagles,,why the distillery was being built they decided to nest holting the works,,the day the distillery opened,believe it or not,the eagles actually flew over and that's why they are a symbol on the bottle,,great review of a great whisky,,love Arran,,cheers,,

[@WhiskyWednesday]

I'm annoyed that I've never heard this story before. Must've blacked out during the Zoom tasting events. Thank you for that, Peter!

[@jackthepickledhound]

I still haven't seen any new bottles in New York.....the 18 is on the radar. But we'll see what pops up first. I thought I was a bit off kilter exploring young high proof bottles. It seems like the market for NAS and 8-12 year old CS bottles is a huge thing.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Massive right now, especially in the age ranges you've stated. Alot of new and 'revived' distilleries (Glenallachie) are smashing out that style. Keep on the hunt! They'll show up at some point.

[@sandrofazzolari8833]

This is an excellent review and I completely agree, an excellent 9 year old whisky 🥃 properly presented. Love the tobacco, as a pipe smoker it is a dream. Cheers thank you. SF

[@vilasanthwal5606]

It would be good to hear if the bottle changes much as the level drops. Got a Douglas Laing Scallywag 12 Cask Strength on the go that at first was a bit challenging, but absolutely transformed over a few months and is now drinking beautifully.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Shall feedback soon!

[@paulgibbs3624]

Tried the QC and others in the range, I must say they seem to do things right. And for once a re-branding that isn't too ugly like some. Nice review Phil.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Thank christ the rebrand worked. Can't say I'm a huge fan of alot of the current rebranding. Most importantly, the whisky is wonderful.

[@cookieMonsterSincho]

Please make a review about Arran remnant renegade 🙏

[@WhiskyWednesday]

I'll see if I can source a bottle, if that fails, a sample!

[@ironmantran]

If you have to guess on sherry, will it be Oloroso or Pedro Ximinez on the nose alone ? - - - btw, great vid !

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Oloroso, for sure.

[@Ebril]

I've always had a great time with the Arran core line-up. However one time I bought a NAS Sherry Cask Finish bottling they did for Marks & Spencer and it was one of the worst, overly sweet whiskies I've ever had. I've been treading carefully with them since. Would love to try this bottling at some point though.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

I know the exact bottle you're talking about. Luckily this is a million miles away.

[@Ebril]

@@WhiskyWednesday Haha and I thought I was the only one!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Oh no, that bottle put me off supermarket picks of anything for years.

[@stevelandwonder4760]

Thanks for the review. I've just bought one...have you tried it with water?

[@WhiskyWednesday]

I havent! Ill do this at home and report back tonight.

[@stevelandwonder4760]

@@WhiskyWednesdayMy kind of homework. :-D

[@WhiskyWednesday]

It does what you would imagine, everything becomes a little tamed. The nose becomes very Glendronach, classic sherry notes. Taste is still full but with less spice. Still delicious.

[@stevelandwonder4760]

@@WhiskyWednesday Cheers Phil...sounds like a winner both ways. Tempted to open it this weekend...too many bottles!

[@WhiskyWednesday]

It is the only problem we really face.

[@BG-oj6zt]

Which wild turkey??

[@WhiskyWednesday]

In reference to this bottle, I'm probably talking about WT Rare Breed.

[@ninetyZeven]

E a g l e s !

[@ninetyZeven]

Nice review.

[@WhiskyWednesday]

Should've known they were eagles.