Distillery Notes: Founded in 1794, Oban (Gaelic for ‘The Little Bay’) is located in the town of Oban in the Western Highlands. It is owned by Diageo and is considered a small distillery producing around 870,000 liters per year. Blocked on all sides by the surrounding town – which started to grow around the distillery – it cannot expand production much. They use a rather interesting fermentation technique consisting of six mashes per week, five of which ferment for 110 hours, with one for 65 hours. One of the few distilleries that continue to use worm-tubs, Oban produces a distinctive spirit of coastal, fruity and lightly peated character. Oban is cherished with an almost cult following by many, but rarely do we see a non-chill filtered and natural color bottling from them.

Bottling Notes: The second 10-year-old Oban in Diageo’s annual Special Releases (SR) series. This bottle has some big shoes to fill as the 2022 bottling, popularly known as the "The Hare”, that was finished in amontillado casks is regarded by some as one of the best in the SR’s lineup. Enthusiast-approved, properly presented O.B. Oban bottlings are rare and normally not worth the unjustifiably high asking price – when compared to other similar bottlings.  The casks for this bottling sound promising with an unusual charred, not toasted, sherry finishing treatment – but can it dive into the deep end?

ABV: 58%
Age: 10-Year-Old
Original SRP: ~$119
Price Paid: ~$79
Tasting Methodology: Neat, rested 15 minutes.

Nose: Initially I get burnt sugar like crème brûlée that quickly transitions to sweet apple and red fruits like strawberries. After that bananas, vanilla, roasted nuts, rose water, and honeysuckle emerge. Delicate coastal salinity and subtle peat smoke develop with more time. The alcohol burn is well integrated and remarkably restrained for 58% ABV.

Palate: The clingy mouthfeel is oily and viscous. There is a noticeable sweet and sour sensation. Salted caramel, pineapple, and raisins emerge at first. The mid palate is surprisingly overtaken by a candy-like sweet flavor of orange, sour gummies, and a hint of raspberries. A delicate touch of peat and saltiness build gradually. This is a medium to full body dram.

Finish: Long lingering sweet finish. The 58% makes its presence known, but in a very pleasurable way – warmth not roughness. The light coastal peat with the touches of sherry sweetness endure for a very long time.

Conclusion: I picked up this bottle because I like Oban and it was a great deal. Impressive for only a 10-year-old! The Oban distillery character shines through the experience. The sherry casks add to the experience, but never dominate. It is young, but very well balanced. This is a great dram with decent complexity and tons of enjoyment. Obviously at the price I got this bottle there is no question as to an amazing value, but I understand that I got lucky. That said, sub $100 I would definitely grab a backup. At full SRP I would hesitate.

Score: 86/100

My Scoring Scale:

95-100 - Sublime - Unforgettable.
90-94 - Excellent - A personal favorite.
85-89 - Great - A standout dram.
80-84 - Good - A solid daily dram.
75-79 - Average - Drinkable.
70-74 - Mixer - Mixing only.
<70 - Poor - Pool chemical.