Arran Barrel Bonfire - Signature Series Edition 2

Arran Barrel Bonfire - Signature Series Edition 2

Region: Highlands

ABV: 50.0%

Price: £84.89

The Arran Barrel Bonfire – Signature Series Edition 2 is an 11-year-old whisky distilled in 2012, with a peat level of 42 parts per million (ppm). It was initially matured for five and a half years in ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred in September 2018 to 115-litre quarter casks sourced from Chicago’s Koval Distillery, where it spent an additional five and a half years. Bottled at 50% ABV, this limited release includes 14,822 bottles.

Nose

On the nose, there are notes of earth, herbal peat, ash, and sweet caramel, with hints of seaweed. A little butter, peaches, and toffee appear before more earthy, dirty peat makes a reappearance. On revisiting, vanilla pod, candy canes, and limoncello starts to come through. The ABV provides a little peppery spice, but nothing that would overpower the nose.

Palate

On the palate, there’s a solid punch of peat, with the smoke and ashy notes nicely balanced by sweet vanilla, orangeade, sugar cubes, and lemonade. The finish is mid length, with these flavours lingering pleasantly with a little spice. Even at 50% ABV, it maintains a satisfying mouthfeel.

Nose (with water)

With water, the nose shows less of that herbal peat, and instead has more tar and a hint of clove, taking on a more medicinal quality, but overall the smoke has reduced leaving sweeter aromas like sugar syrup, fudge, and toffee, to dominate the nose. It’s still pleasant to nose, and we’d say it’s down to personal preference if this is better diluted or not diluted.

Palate (with water)

With water, the peat and smoke on the palate are slightly reduced, allowing more sweet vanilla, orange juice, and caramel to come through. Like the nose, there’s a touch of antiseptic and cloves, adding a more medicinal flavour. The mouthfeel is slightly diminished, and it tastes a bit flat, having lost some of its vibrancy.

Conclusion

We personally prefer this without water, as the reduced palate doesn’t quite match the richness of the unreduced version. The unreduced dram delivers a solid punch of peat, well-balanced with sweeter notes. While we usually lean towards unpeated Arran, this shows that the spirit can handle peat exceptionally well, making it a great example of what Arran can do with peat.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

Currently available for £75 at Royal Mile Whiskies at the time of writing, for anyone tempted to pick up a bottle.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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