Oban 14 YO comes from one of the smallest working distilleries in Scotland, built into a harbour town on the west Highland coast before the town itself grew up around it. Its position between the mainland and the islands shows in the whisky: citrus and orchard fruit sit alongside sea salt and a light peat smoke, giving it more weight and smoke than a typical Highland malt without moving into full Islay territory. That in-between character is what makes it a useful bottle for someone who wants smoke without committing to a heavily peated whisky.
CHARACTER
Orange Peel: bright citrus opens the nose
Pear: ripe orchard fruit alongside
Sea Salt: a coastal, savoury edge
Peat: gentle smoke running through
Honey: sweetness carries into the palate
Dried Fruit: dried figs on the palate
Oak: toasted oak on the finish
TASTING NOTES
NOSE- Bright orange and pear meet a savoury edge of sea salt and gentle peat smoke.
PALATE- Dried figs and honeyed spice open onto a malty, faintly smoky dryness.
FINISH- Toasted oak and warm spice linger with a last trace of smoke.
