How long had it been since we had tasted this Oban 14 year old? Perhaps ten years.
It was not a matter of having a bad experience; it was really a matter of the circumstance under which we tried it for the first time. It was one of three malts we tasted, and though we wrote well of them all, the pleasure that Oban brought got lost in the shuffle. Another day, more malts to taste, and so it simply slipped from our memories.
Which is a pity, because this is a terrific single malt Scotch whisky.
But our own slip-up certainly did not hurt the brand. According to Brendan McCarron, the youthful chap who runs the Oban distillery, demand for the whisky is plenty strong. What Oban makes gets sold.
And we see why. This Oban —and by the way, it is pronounced “OH-ben”— really hits the happy medium in Scotch whiskies. It is gentle yet very flavorful, offering notes of heather, salt, honey, and smoke. At 86 proof, it is perfectly fine to drink neat, though dropping in a bit of water or a cube of ice will not harm it in the least. (Rating ****1/2)
To learn more about Oban 14 Year Old Scotch Whisky, surf to Oban’s Facebook page.
If you want to see if our retailer can sell you a bottle, click here, or try these other retailers.
