A bustling seaside resort has grown up around the distillery in the two centuries since it was first built in the fishing town of Oban. The West Highland malt is still produced in the same unhurried, traditional fashion and this 14 year old is a classic whisky from the distillery.
Smoky, maritime nose with hints of sticking plasters and toffee brittle.
Smoky, creamy palate with notes of marmalade, toffee apples and pear cider. A development of cloves comes late palate.
A long, malty finish with toasty oak and spice.
A true classic, Oban's 14 year old is a great coastal dram for lovers of lightly smoked, fresh malts.
Smokey nose. Sweet with grilled orange & candied peel taste. Lightly peated with a salty tail, just enough to remind you it shares its beach waters with the Islands. Can get this in Macro Supermarket in Belfast for under £38.
Light dram but still good, a must have in everyone’s collection
I am extremely sceptical about reviews which proclaim a dram "The nectar of The Gods" or "Tastes of nothing". Sadly, we have all become used to the penny-pinching and downright lies of the new breed of corporate CEOs infecting Scotland, but I don't think Oban has fallen victim to them yet. Whisky should be assessed on its own terms. It is simply wrong to give a one star review for Glenmorangie because "this tastes nothing like Laphroig!" or to expect a ten year old to stand up to a thirty-five year old for smoothness. The question is, what kind of a whisky is it and how well is it made? So what IS Oban? It is a medium-bodied, slightly smoky, slightly sweet, quite young single malt. I like it. I find it has a seaside tang and mix of bitter/sweet/peat which is both balanced and well thought-out. I prefer it to Caol Ila 12 because it's a bit different, a bit rough around the edges, with a lemon/pepper/salt aftertaste. Some people have talked about a rough alcohol burn. I don't find it rough. I find it very honest. I get a nice, clean barley-mash taste which Jack Daniels et al could learn from.
I'm more of an Islay drinker. This is a good dram if looking for something light with a subtle honey and very light smoke flavor upfront that fades rather quickly. Next time I'll be picking up something with a little more balls and character.
Αν κάποιος θέλει πολύ καπνό και τύρφη, δεν χρειάζεται να μπαίνει στα highlands, υπάρχει το islay. Θα συμβούλευα λοιπόν αυτούς τους φίλους, να μη φορτώνουν το κεφάλι μας με κριτικές που είναι δεδομένο ότι θα είναι αρνητικές, αφού η προτίμησή τους για τα δυνατά καπνικά δεν τους αφήνει να είναι αντικειμενικοί.
