Isle of Arran Distillers has launched the Arran Barley Single Malt Batch 001, the culmination of a 10-year project using barley grown exclusively on the island. The limited edition single malt was created in partnership with Bellevue Farm and is bottled at 50% ABV.
This new whisky was made with barley from Bellevue Farm, which has been managed by the Currie family for six generations.
Since 2015, the distillery has sourced barley from two 10-hectare fields located beside its sister Lagg Distillery on the island’s south end.
The inaugural release uses the Optic barley variety, which was first distilled at the company’s Lochranza Distillery in 2015.
The crop is grown with integrated livestock operations to help lower the overall carbon footprint.
According to the distillery’s production team, the local barley produces a sticky wort that requires constant monitoring. The process results in a complex and fruity new-make spirit with an oily character.
The whisky was matured in a combination of first-fill Bourbon barrels and second-fill Sherry hogsheads.
It is non-chill-filtered and has no added color, similar to the brand’s core 10-year-old expression.
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The first batch is a limited annual release of 18,000 bottles available worldwide.
Stewart Bowman, Lochranza Distillery Manager, commented on the collaboration.
“It is a privilege for us at Isle of Arran Distillers to collaborate so closely with a dedicated island producer, bringing the provenance of Arran ingredients even closer to home,” Bowman said.
He added: “Our partnership with the Bellevue Farm is something we deeply value, built on a shared commitment to the land and to quality.”
Official notes from the brand describe fresh herbs, light citrus, and vanilla on the nose. The palate offers spicy ginger and biscuity malt, complemented by a smooth, oily texture and summer fruit notes.
The whisky is presented in new packaging, including a recyclable cardboard tube that replaces the traditional metal base with a cardboard one. The label details the barley variety, the supplying farm, batch number, and total bottle count.
A new batch of the Arran Barley Single Malt will be released annually, with each edition varying based on the crop, cask selection, and available volumes.
The launch follows Isle of Arran Distillers’ 30th anniversary. The company has remained independent since its founding in 1995.
Isle of Arran Distillers revived legal whisky production on the island after a 150-year hiatus and now operates two single malt distilleries, Lochranza and Lagg.
