Oban Distillery
Address : Oban Distillery, Oban, Argyll, PA34 5NH
Telephone No : 01631 572004
Web Site : No Dedicated web site
Visitors Center : Yes
The Oban Distillery was founded in 1794 by brothers John and Hugh Stevenson . They had come to Oban in 1778 when Oban was little more than a fishing village. Together they established a boat building yard, a tannery and in the 1790s a brewery, (which became the Oban distillery). The town then developed around the distillery. Distillery owners and managers to the present day have embraced this tradition of community involvement and hospitality - a tradition which came naturally to John and Hugh Stevenson, founders not only of the distillery at Oban, but probably of the town itself.
J. Walter Higgen bought the distillery In 1883. Between 1890 and 1894 he dismantled and rebuilt it bit by bit, in order to keep it in production - at the time there was a high demand for Oban's malt. He carefully replicated the famously small stills and other traditional features in order to preserve the quality of the whisky.
The distillery fell silent from 1931 until 1937, it was also silent during the second world war. The location of the distillery, hemmed in between the cliffs and the other town buildings, prevented further expansion and production decreased gradually until 1969 when the distillery was mothballed. Production resumed in 1972 when the stillhouse was rebuilt with a new wash- and spirit still. In 1989 a new visitors' centre was installed. Since 1990 the whisky has been promoted as part of the Classic Malts of Scotland range. The business is now part of Diageo
The distillery buildings and their internal arrangments are substantially the same today as they were following Higgen's refurbishment. Until recently only very exceptional malts were bottled and sold as 'singles'. By contrast, Oban has enjoyed been a single malt since the 1880's.
Here is a selection of whisky produced at the Oban Distillery:
Oban 14 Year Old 70cl 43%
The Western Highland representative in Diageo's 'Classic Malt' series, Oban 14yo is a superb, full-blooded fruity malt with a whiff of heather and more than a hint of smoke.
Oban 2000 70cl 58.7% - Managers Choice
Oban 2000 Bottling Note
This is a single cask edition from Diageo's Managers Choice series, with a single cask whisky from each of their 27 malt whisky distilleries. This was matured in cask number 1886, a European Oak Bodega butt.
Oban Distillers Edition 70cl 43%
The western Highland style of malt is epitomised by Oban's gentle sweetness and suprising richness of palate and finish.The peatiness of the islands it faces accross the firth of Lorn is softened by the influences of the highlands at its back. distilled in 1992 and double matured.
Oban 1995 70cl 43% Montilla Fino Finish - Distillers Edition
Oban Distillers 1995 Bottling Note
From Diageo's Distillers Edition range of single malts aged in wine casks. Oban distillers editions are finished in Montilla Fino sherry casks - a clean, gentle dry sherry which often has olive notes and almond. This is the 1995 vintage.
Oban 32 Year Old 70cl 55%
Oban 32 Bottling Note
Distilled in 1969 and aged for 32 years before bottling at cask strength, a rare single malt from the Oban distillery.
Oban 32 Tasting Note
Nose: Quite full with plenty of fruit. There is a distinct oily nuttiness with dried peels. A little crisp zest with barley sugar develops, as do the notes of fruit liqueurs. There are hints of peat and gentle wood smoke with soft oak tannins. There are some notes of stewed plums and damson jam, quite spirity.
Palate: Very ripe and thick and thoroughly fruity. The damsons are back with juicy zeal and notes of Seville oranges and mandarins, hints of fresh cut lime wedges.
Finish: Long with lots of dark, bruised fruits and rising oily oak.
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