Oban 12 yo Special Release 2025 Heart of the Harbour

 

 

 

54,7°

Distillery : Oban - Highlands

Ex-Bourbon American Oak Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

Last year, the Oban Diageo Special Release underwent a complex maturation process. This year, nothing of the sort, simple American Bourbon Oak Casks will allow the distillate to shine. Otherwise, the principles remain the same, a limited edition in Cask Strength, without chill filtration or colouring.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It is airy, with a slight hint of peat to give depth, juicy fruit, yellow peaches, squeezed lemon, white grapes, creamy fudge, candied vanilla, elegant woodiness with a waxy note, roasted hazelnuts. Perhaps a pinch of salt. On the palate, it is smooth, citrusy, with more pronounced wood and less ripe fruit. Green apples, sandy beaches, restrained spices. Drops of honey. The finish is slightly oily, salted butter caramel, shortbread biscuits, liquorice and toasted peanuts. Lime zest. 

 

In Short, 

It's really not bad at all. The character of the distillery comes through here, whereas it's often too discreet for my taste in other bottlings I've tasted. That said, it still lacks a little complexity to be truly impressive. All in all, it's just a pleasant experience. What's more, the price is really exaggerated, which is a shame. 

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Chris Stapleton - Joy of My Life

Oban 10 yo Special Release 2024 Coastal Orchard

 

 

 

58°

Distillery : Oban - Highlands

Refill Bourbon Casks, Recharred American Oak Barrels Seasoned With Oloroso Sherry Finish

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated 

 

 

 

Diageo Special Releases often include an Oban, and the maturation is usually special. Here, we have a combination of 2nd and 3rd fill casks, finished in American oak Bourbon Barrels toasted and seasoned with Oloroso Sherry. So there's a slight Sherry influence within the maturation in Bourbon casks.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It's deeply woody with vanilla cream, wood shavings, streaked wood with hints of caramel and nutmeg, some floral and fruity notes, a zest of lemon, it's dusty and slightly salty. On the palate, various fruits, baked apples, dates, a dash of vanilla in the background, soft caramel. Lively spices, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves. Powerful, relatively long finish, peppery, heated brown sugar, dried banana, verbena, chlorophyll. Chestnuts, crushed walnuts. Brown sugar, coconut.

 

In Short, 

It's nice, the Sherry isn't overpowering at all, and gives a nice impression of baked apples on the palate, the wood adds some warm spices, all of which enlivens the distillate without suffocating it. On the other hand, this is only a 10 year old and the price is exaggerated.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Sophie Jamieson - Ode To The East

Oban Little Bay

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Oban - Highlands

Ex-Bourbon Barrels

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2014

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

This is the second and final addition to Oban's regular range, a NAS that has been aged in small 200-litre Bourbon casks, which allows the cask to have a greater influence, and the flavours to be more intense.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Nice influence of the barrel on the nose, vanilla yoghurt, walnut cake, fresh fruits, yellow apples, mirabelles, Comice pears, a pinch of salt and a whiff of smoke. Beeswax, citrus zest, creamy notes. On the palate, raisin brioche, fruit cake, pastry cream, blood oranges, crunchy cereals, discreet spices, cloves, grey pepper. The finish is appropriately long, a little dusty, spicy, meringue, floating island with vanilla custard, old wood, rosemary and mistletoe.

 

In Short, 

Like the Dalwhinnie Wnter's Gold, I find it very successful and prefer it to the 14 year old. It's more straightforward, more intense, more characterful, and the profile of the distillery is clearer. On the other hand, the price has become very high, I've heard that sales are exploding and that stocks are running out. I find that astonishing.

Score : 85

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Soundsixk - D.u.s.k.

Oban The Distillers Edition 2023

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Oban - Highlands

Refill Bourbon, Sherry Casks and 1st Fill Montilla Fino Sherry Seasoned American Oak Finish 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

I think it was the last Distillers Edition I'd ever tasted. This one is finished in Fino Sherry from the Montilla-Moriles area, Fino Sherry is usually rather dry, but the one from the Mintilla area is fruitier. As with all the other Distillers Edition, the vintage disappeared in 2022, it's cold-filtered and coloured.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Beautiful balance on the nose, between noble wood, red fruit, and a touch of smoke. Amarena cherries, a hint of sea salt, quince jam and honey. Whole almonds, light tobacco. A few maritime and chalky notes. On the palate, a lovely sweetness, custard, chutney with bits of walnut, salted butter caramel, very palatable spices, rosemary, honeysuckle, pepper. Quite a long finish, chocolatey and malty, dried fruits, apricots and figs, damp leather and bark full of moss. Chestnuts.

 

In Short, 

This Fino is not so dry, and I find it has a nice fruity and sweet fullness. I'm not a great fan of the 14-year-old, but I really enjoyed this Distillers Edition. In fact, it seems to me that it's one of the 4 outstanding Distillers Edition, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Talisker, and Oban. Unfortunately the price is very high for what it is.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Frank - Car Seller

Oban 14 yo

43°

Distillery : Oban - Highlands

Refill Bourbon Barrels

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single Malt

Launched in 1982

Almost Unpeated

This one was included in the Classic Single Malts of Scotland in 1987, a selection of the most typical whiskies owned by Diageo.

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, smoky peat gives way to lemon and a sweet smell of nuts. A hint of menthol, herbaceous fragrances and an autumnal breeze. Light fruits, not too ripe. Quinces, apricots. On the palate, peat and honey return. A touch of vanilla. Peach core. The whole remains velvety and slightly woody.  The finish is very smooth and fairly long. A dash of dried fruits. Pungent cereals in retro-olfaction. Barley, hops, wheat. It's fragile and gently balanced.

In Short, 

It's velvet, as people often say. That said, it's not really up to my taste, lacking character.

Score : 83

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping : :

   

                                          Bonnie "Prince" Billy - I See A Darkness