Whisky Forum - Oban Distillery

krakow · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 1:13 pm Post subject: Oban Distillery

I'm going to be up in Oban briefly at the start of next month and am wondering if it might be worth trying to squeeze in a look at the distillery. Has anyone visited recently and have any thoughts?

I notice that they only offer the shorter 'Sensory & Flavour Finding Tour' at that time of year (Â£10 for an hour ish with Â£5 off a bottle purchase).

Also, is there anything worth looking for especially in the distillery shop if I only have time to poke my head in there in the end?

Cheers!

Alastair · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 7:35 pm Post subject:

I haven't been for a few years but always worth a visit, give them a call and ask if they have any distillery exclusive bottlings at the moment.

krakow · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:33 pm Post subject:

Thanks Alastair. I'm definitely going to at least have a quick look in the shop, hoping for something along those lines. Have signed up for and downloaded my 'The Friends of the Classic Malts' distillery pass.

krakow · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:08 pm Post subject:

We were a bit short on time this visit, so I didn't get to do the tour sadly, but did nip into the shop and small exhibition/tasting bar area, which is all nicely appointed, with a decent Diageo selection for sale.

I picked up my Friends of the Classic Malts passport thing and got Â£5 off a bottle of Little Bay in sympathy for not being able to take my free tour or have a tasting because of driving.

They do have a distillery exclusive bottling for sale. I didn't memorise the details, sorry, but it was Â£100 and something like 6000 bottles. I didn't see an obvious age. I nosed a glass and it certainly smelled good. Anyone know it?

William · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 12:25 pm Post subject:

krakow · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:17 am Post subject:

Thanks for that William. I think they have actually changed it and the current version is now bottled at 48%. There's a recent review here and Whisky Galore at The Green Welly seem to have a bottle as they're relatively nearby: https://www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/whiskyshop/oban-distillery-only/prod_4998.html

William · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:06 pm Post subject:

I looked a little more into the Oban Distillery Only bottling, when it was first launched back in 2010 it contained whisky which was originally destined for the Distillers Edition bottlings which were surplus to requirement, it had undergone a second maturation in Pedro Montilla Fino treated American oak casks and bottled at natural cask strength, and carried no age statement although it was said to be a vatting of 16 - 19 year old.

The surplus Distillers Edition has since been used up and the Oban Distillery Only bottling today is Oban 14 year old which has been further matured in extra charred casks and then married together in a marrying vat. I don't have any info on the final age, it carries no age statement, it is still bottled at cask strength which is 48% ABV for the latest bottling, it is a limited release of 6000 bottles although apparently 12 of those got smashed and it has a price tag of Â£100
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There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

krakow · Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:48 am Post subject:

Amazing, thanks William! Above and beyond for my idle curiosities, I appreciate it.