The Isle of Arran Devil’s Punch Bowl Single Malt Scotch Whisky
52.3% ABV
$100 to $110
Website
What the Distillery Says:
The Devil’s Punch Bowl Chapter No.01
“I have selected the casks for the Devil’s Punch Bowl with a view to creating a special release of The Arran Malt where the sum is even greater than the wonderful parts. The Sherry Butts act like the rhythm section of a band; setting the tone and driving the character of the malt. Deep in colour and rich on the palate these casks are the heartbeat of this whisky. The 1996 Bourbon Barrels add a wonderful honeyed sweetness to proceedings whilst the Sherry Hogsheads imbue a perfect harmony of aroma and flavour. As a unique twist I have added some of our 2006 Peated Arran, in combination with regular un-peated Arran for the very first time, giving the finish a subtle smoky edge. They say the Devil has all the best tunes but here he has the perfect whisky too”.
– James MaTaggart (Master Distiller)
Devil’s Punch Bowl
The Devil’s Punch Bowl is a limited edition expression of The Arran Single Malt inspired by the glacial hollow Coire na Ciche whose sinister presence dominates the north-east coast of Arran. Our Master Distiller, James ‘Lucifer’ MacTaggart, has been to hell and back to select only the finest casks for this demonic masterpiece. Each cask has been chosen to contribute a specific characteristic and through the dark art of blending these whiskies have conspired to create an elixir of exceptional complexity and finesse.
Bottled at natural strength and without chill-filtration, The Devil’s Punch Bowl is a testimony to the consistent superior quality of The Arran Malt across each year of production. For your elucidation the numbers of every cask, hand-picked for this bottling, have been listed on the inside of this box. Dare to meet the devil and savour the astonishing array of aromas and flavours on display.
• Multi-Vintage release of The Arran Malt
• Named after a stunning landmark on the Isle of Arran
• Limited Edition of 6,660 Bottles Worldwide
• Bottled at Natural Cask Strength 52.3%
• Unique vatting of 24 Arran casks – Full details (Cask Number, Year of Distillation & Cask Type) printed on the inside lid of the gift box
• Based around stunning 1996 Sherry Butts
• Includes 2006 Peated Arran Barrels
• First-ever combination of peated & un-peated Arran
• Non Chill Filtered & No artificial colouring
What Richard Says:
Nose: Out of the bottle it’s sherry, heather, and herbal notes but it is also hard to get much else through the alcohol. With some water you get fruitier notes of under ripe Bartlett pears and over ripe grapes.
Palate: Clean and mildly oaked. Water mellows it even further. It’s a light, crisp dram with a little spicy woody note that carriers into the finish.
Finish: The finish dries quickly leaving raw oak and burnt simple syrup. As the dryness fades it gets bitter like Warheads candies. Water makes it finish a little spicier and reminds me more of extra aged air dried oak staves.
Comments: In a word…underwhelming. There’s nothing wrong with this dram. It’s pleasant to drink. I was just hoping for more (especially at $100+ a bottle for NAS whisky) and I’m not finding it.
Rating: Average
I would like to thank the U.S. Distributors and P.R. for Isle of Arran for providing me with a review sample.