Oban Single Malt Scotch 14yr

Oban, Scotland

Built by brothers Hugh and John Stevenson, Oban whisky is inextricably bound to its environment. Our water flows in from a loch three miles away. Our barley travels from Speyside. The distillery came first and a town rose up around it. We sit at the portal between the West Highlands and the Hebrides Islands, a location renowned for its temperate climate and rugged beauty.

San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold 2025

Nose

Immediate and confident; rapidly gaining intensity. Warming and sweet: oily, waxy and nutty, balanced by delicate ripe orchard fruits. Then, lighter notes of an almondy fruit cake sit atop a denser layer of Christmas pudding. Behind, malty cereal notes are offset by aromatic orange. Much later: traces of brine and smoke, a little menthol and pine resin.

Body

A full, rich, almost oily malt.

Palate

Dense and coating, spicy too; sweet, yet menthol- fresh. Filling and warming, with the comforting chewiness of rich fruit-bread and hints of orange zest and clove, before growing drier, still minty, with crisp green apple. Less dense and fruitier with just a little water, which allows the classic Oban fruit, malt, and maritime hints free reign until the balancing, drying spice returns.

Finish

In a word, long. Quite syrupy at first, then drying, with elegant coating tannins rich in dark chocolate character. Later, pine-fresh. At once cleansing yet chewy, with just a trace of late, slightly cedary, smoke.