Oban 14

The Oban distillery sits in the town of the same name and overlooks the harbour and the sea at Scotland’s western coast. The Oban distillery was founded in 1794 by Hugh and John Stevenson on the site of an old brewery. The distillery dominates the town, despite being rather small and its aesthetics are rather imperial. The pair of stills has a capacity of just 670,000 litres per annum and almost all of this is matured and bottled as single malt Scotch whisky.

Just before the turn of the twentieth century, Oban became part of the Oban and Aultmore-Glenlivet Company. In 1925, the company was acquired by Distillers Company Limited and five years later it was transferred to Scottish Malt Distillers. Following a brief few years of silence, the Oban whisky distillery reopened in 1937 and remained open until 1968 when the distillery was closed for renovation.

In 1972, the stills of Oban ran with spirit once more and in 1988 parent company United Distillers released the Classic Malts range. Oban Scotch was the Western Highlands’ representative in said range. A year later, a visitor centre was inaugurated. The distillery’s popularity has increased greatly in recent years. Independent releases are nigh on impossible to find, though the official range is quite substantial.

Tasting Notes

Nose: The nose is rich and smokey. The medicinal notes are quite evident with notes of the sea; seaweed, tarry ropes. There are notes of cut hay and wood smoke rising with a gentle estery sweetness.

Palate: The palate is thick and full. Notes of citrus with smooth sweetness. The smoke wafts with notes of seaweed. The oak is quite rich with grist and cereal and malt.

Finish: The finish is of good length with fruit and dry oak.