This is the Scotch single malt whisky ‘magyars’ are the proudest of. It took the whisky industry two decades until they discovered the unique late harvest wines of the Tokaji region (tokaji aszu) in Hungary as a source for special wine casks for doing “finishes”. As ‘magyars’ say: the wine of Tokaj is ‘The King of Wines. The Wine for Kings’. Although the Tokaj wines are known world-wide, but the Tokaji cask finished whiskies are not so popular. Beside Arran, Edradour and Benromach released Tokaji cask finish whiskies in the past 5 years. Since then, Edradour stopped doing it and Benromach only bottles it in limted edition “Only for the Hungarian Market”. The reason? Very simple. The tokaji wine has such an impact on the ageing whisky in such a short time that it is very hard to manage to end up with a well-balanced, round whisky. Nevertheless, ‘magyars’ love it and are very likely to buy whathever quantity will be produced. If Scots stop making it, they might even consider to do it locally.

The Arran Tokaji Cask Finish has an intense scent of sweet vanilla and dried fruits. The taste delivers nicely the toffee, raisin, slightly spicy character of the late harvest Tokaji dessert wine. As botrytis is a significant factor in the wine making in Tokaj and that special fungus has a very characteristic taste, it is clearly recognizable in this unique Arran single malt whisky. Slainté! Or rather: Egészségedre! as we say in Hungary.