Oban 14 years old is a popular single malt Scotch whisky and represents the west Highland region in owner Diageo’s Classic Malts range. It joins five other distilleries in the range, which was first launched in the late-1980s – Cragganmore (Speyside), Dalwhinnie (Central Highlands), Glenkinchie (Lowlands), Lagavulin (Islay) and Talisker (Islands). This has helped to drive sales of Oban despite being one of Diageo’s smallest distilleries and often used in their blends.
The Oban distillery was founded by John and Hugh Stevenson in 1794 – this make it one of Scotland’s oldest remaining single malt distilleries and one of only a handful founded in the 18th century. It remained in the Stevenson family until 1866 when Peter Cumstie purchased the distillery. The 1920s saw Oban’s first association with the Buchanan’s and Dewar’s blends when it was taken over by Buchanan-Dewar. Oban remains an important ingredient in Buchanan’s, which is one of the world’s more popular blends and produced by current owners Diageo.
The capacity of Oban is restricted by its location, which sits in the heart of the town. It is hemmed in by buildings on either side, a granite cliff to the rear and main street and harbour out front. Until recently the annual production was limited to 650,000 litres. In 2023, the distillery moved to 7-day per week production programme and added an extra washback. The capacity is now 925,000 litres per year as a result.
Oban 14 years old is bottled at 43% ABV and is available in specialist whisky retail stores world wide. It can also be occasionally be found in supermarkets in the UK. A bottle will cost £75-£80. Aside from this bottling, the core range is small with the no-age statements Little Bay and Distiller’s Edition (finished in ex-Fino sherry casks) and the 18 years old.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is bright gold and the nose is inviting, fruity and uplifting. Subtle aromas of vanilla fudge, honey and dried fruit (imagine candied orange and lemon peel) kick things off and are well supported by further aromas of milk chocolate and malted barley. A whisp of gentle earthy peat smoke and hints of salted caramel, hazelnut praline and stewed apple add interest.
On the palate this whisky is soft, sweet and creamy with lovely notes of crumbly fudge and brown sugar coming through initially. The peat smoke is a little more pronounced than on the nose but maintains a low unobtrusive level – this has the effect of binding the other characteristics together like a conductor of an orchestra. It whisps around everything. It again has an soft, earthy and almost mossy edge.
Then come further notes of salted caramel, vanilla essence and plump juicy sultana. These flavours are backed up by some baked apple with pinches of cinnamon and cocoa powder on top, fresh lemon zest and a distinct malty biscuit-like note. Something floral sits in the background that is reminiscent of citrus blossom. A final mineralic, almost flinty, note reminds us of the ever-present peat smoke.
The finish is of decent length and really shows off the whisky’s best characteristics – the sweet and fruity characteristics slowly fade, which leaves the smoky aspect and hints of wood and baking spices to play. This results in the whisky becoming drier with time, which is accentuated by a late peppery warmth.
What’s The Verdict?
The Oban 14 years old is a very good whisky and delightfully easy drinking. It is easy to see why this is continues to be so popular and offers a light, yet characterful set of aromas and flavours. This would be the perfect introduction to the world of peated Scotch whiskies for a beginner, especially given the low levels of smoke compared to other malts from somewhere like Islay. The sweetness and relative lightness mean it would be very good as an aperitif, sipped over ice on a hot day or to have with seafood – that would be a match made in heaven.
