Smoke Meets Sweetness: New Arran Whisky with 50 ppm – A Complex Whisky Experience. Blog by Mads Thorup

Arran is an island in Scotland located off the west coast near Glasgow. Like so many other places in Scotland, a lot of whisky has been made here on the island – and, again like many other places, not all of it was entirely legal back in the 1800s. One of the distilleries was called Lagg, which closed in 1840 due to a combination of poor management and a highly competitive market that was difficult to keep up with. Other distilleries on the island closed as well. In the early 1990s, construction began on a new distillery in the Lochranza area in the northern part of Arran, and in 1995 the first raw spirit ran through the distillery’s pot stills. This location was a natural choice, thanks to a rich water source in the form of fresh water from Loch na Davie – and as everyone knows, a lot of water is needed in whisky production. The first whisky was released in 1998, three years later, which was a major milestone in the island’s history, as it was the first legal whisky produced in over 160 years!

In 2010, the first peated whisky from the Arran distillery was released under the name Machrie Moor. This whisky had a peat level of about 20 ppm. It was this whisky that sparked the idea of reopening Lagg Distillery – a sister distillery dedicated to peated whisky in the southern part of Arran. In 2018, the first sod was turned, and in 2019 the first spirit ran through the distillery’s pot stills. This marked the beginning of a new chapter, and the first whisky from Lagg was released in 2022. Listen to our podcast:

A whisky at a full 50 ppm. Compared with a standard Lagavulin 16, which is only around 35 ppm, this one is considerably smokier. Laphroaig lies between 40–50 ppm, and Ardbeg has 50+ ppm in their whiskies. The smoke level in this Arran whisky is therefore on par with some of the big players from Islay.

Arran Distillery is known for its unpeated whiskies leaning toward the sweeter side. Their classic whiskies have been matured in casks such as bourbon, sherry, port, sauternes, and amarone. Since its founding, the distillery has won countless awards for these whiskies. However, Arran has now produced a peated whisky at a full 50 ppm, which I am tasting this time, and my experience of it can be read below. This smoke level is far higher than what Arran Distillery usually makes, and the intensity is therefore more reminiscent of whisky from Lagg than from Arran. Once again, we are talking about a whisky with a smoke intensity on par with what you find at the classic Islay distilleries.

Tasting notes:
Smoke meets sweetness: A balanced and complex whisky experience with surprisingly gentle peat smoke.

Arran Distillery – Peated 50 ppm – 59.9%
(Sample was at 59.9% but the final product ended up at 59.6%)

Arran 2015/2025 Single Cask Denmark 9 Year Old 50 ppm 1st Bourbon Single Malt Whisky 59.6%
The whisky has a light golden color. On the nose, there is moderate smoke followed by plenty of sweetness. Notes of vanilla, honey, and apricots. In addition, a hint of licorice adds a spicier contrast to the sweet and smoky notes. On the palate, the peat smoke comes first, but it is not as intense as one might expect given the ppm level. It is a more subtle smokiness. Behind it, there are notes of plum and vanilla. The whisky brings a pleasant warmth without being overly alcoholic. With the addition of a little water, the smoke intensity is significantly reduced. In the finish, the peat smoke lingers, joined by nuances of oak and citrus/acidity. Overall, this is a complete whisky that manages to create a really good balance between smoke and sweetness. And even though it is a full 50 ppm, the prominent sweet notes help make it feel less smoky than the classic Islay whiskies. A truly exciting whisky, and I cannot recall tasting anything quite like it.

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