Oban distillery is small, low-profile and there aren’t many releases. Independent bottlings are also hard to find. It is well respected and maybe slightly underrated.

This Oban is currently the ‘distillery exclusive’. Most distilleries have these kind of limited editions that are not distributed to shops and usually well priced. It’s a mixture of different casks that were 16 to 19 years old.

Oban NAS (55,2%, OB 2010, 
‘only available at the distillery’, 8999 btl.)

Nose: oily, with malt and zesty citrus and apple. A few coastal notes. Hay. Hints of peat in the background. After a while, it gets sweeter and more floral / candied notes show up. Oranges and grapefruit. Nice Highlands nose, albeit a little shy. Mouth: peaty, malty and quite spicy (cloves, pepper). A little chamomile. Sweet pears. Nice smoky ending. Finish: oaky and sugary. Medium length.

This Oban needs some time to unfold. A very firm dram with typical Highlands elements and a nice coastal touch.

Score: 86/100