Oban 12 Year Old Special Release 2025 - 70cl/54.7%

Aged in bourbon barrels, this 12-year-old emphasizes Oban's coastal warmth with fresh fruitiness. Nosing is crystalline and crunchy, starting with vegetal and cereal freshness, softening to vanilla, honeyed spice, toffee, coastal sea breeze, sand, and subtle maritime notes. It evolves to tinned syrupy peaches and sweet home baking. The palate is creamy-smooth, sweet with salty sea air, featuring peaches in syrup, vanilla, and light acidity, balanced by mineral crunch and gentle warmth. It's drying yet inviting, with fruity depth and subtle spice. The finish is long, warming with lingering vanilla, coastal salt, and faint herbal echoes, fading to a clean, refreshing close. This edition captures Oban's heart—elegant, warming, and subtly complex.

Oban Distillery, in the West Highland town of Oban, was established in 1794 by brothers Hugh and John Stevenson, predating the town itself. Built on a craggy harbor site, it began as a brewery before shifting to distillation amid the town's growth as a fishing and ferry hub. The Stevensons sold to Walter Higgin in 1829, then to John Hopkins in 1830. Alexander Edward acquired it in 1869, selling to Alexander Edward of Sanquhar in 1898, who transferred to the Oban and Aultmore-Glenlivet Co. DCL took over in 1931, now Diageo. Despite small size—with only two stills—it produces 870,000 liters annually. It closed during wars and economic slumps but reopened in 1972 after upgrades. Known for its urban location between cliffs, Oban uses worm tubs for a waxy, fruity style. Its history ties to Oban's development, from frontier outpost to gateway, reflecting Highland whisky's adaptability.