Oban
Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 70cl
The tiny lamp glass-shaped copper pot stills that make Oban’s Scotch are among the smallest in Scotland, and the liquor they distill is slowly condensed in wooden worm tubs outside among the rooftops, exposed to the salted sea air, bringing a distinct depth of flavour said to go very well with salted caramel.
Serving Suggestion: Best served neat in a tumbler, perhaps with a little cool spring water.
"Lightly smoky on the honeyed, floral nose. Toffee, cereal and a hint of peat. The palate offers initial cooked fruits, becoming spicier. Complex, bittersweet, oak and more gentle smoke. The finish is quite lengthy, with spicy oak, toffee and new leather."
Gavin D Smith, Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015, p.162
"Good energy, balance with surprising weight."
Dave Broom 2005, Whisky Magazine, Issue 45
"A much-beloved malt in the U.S. Some say it’s because it is easy to pronounce (though having said that, remember it’s ‘OH-bin’ and not ‘O’Bahn’). I’d prefer to think its popularity is because there is something about the fresh cleanliness of the nose, its orange oils, chocolate, and zesty-zingy and yes, occasionally salty spiciness that is instantly appealing."
Dave Broom, Whisky Advocate Summer 2012
International Spirits Challenge
Bronze
2010
International Spirits Challenge
Silver
2009
International Wine and Spirits Challenge
SILVER
2007-2008
International Wine and Spirits Challenge
Silver (Outstanding)
2014
International Wine and Spirits Challenge
Gold (Best in Class)
2009
San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Silver
2003-2004, 2007, 2009, 2014
San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Gold
2016
The Scotch Whisky Masters
Gold
2009
Ultimate spirits Challenge
95 Points
2016
Appearance
Olive gold.
Body
A full, rich, almost oily malt.
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.
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.
Recommended
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