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Oban 14 Year Old: The West Highland Crossroads — Where Sweet Meets Smoke on Scotland's Atlantic Coast

Oban 14 Year Old: The West Highland Crossroads — Where Sweet Meets Smoke on Scotland's Atlantic Coast

8 /10
EDITOR
Distillery: Oban Distillery
Type: Scotch
Age: 14 Years
ABV: 43% ABV
Price: £52

Tasting Notes

Nose

Heathery, fruity, zesty — heather honey sweetness, malt, a little smoke, vanilla fudge, candied orange and lemon peel, milk chocolate, malted barley, salted caramel, hazelnut praline, stewed apple

Palate

Buttercream frosting — tinned fruit cocktail, pineapple, orange, lychee, caramelised sweetness, sherry-like almond, crunchy sea salt, sweet and lush, then a bright acidic note like apple cider with lemon

Finish

Bright and zingy — like brioche topped with lemon curd, the West Highland elegance in the close, a whisky that rewards every sip

First Impressions

Oban sits at the gateway to the Scottish islands — a small West Highland town where the mountains meet the Atlantic. The distillery, one of Scotland's oldest (established 1794), produces whisky at the crossroads of Highland and Island styles. Fourteen years in ex-bourbon American oak hogsheads at 43%.

Tasting

The nose is heathery and fruity with honey, candied peel, and gentle smoke. On the palate at 43%, buttercream, tropical fruit, caramel, and sea salt. The finish is bright with lemon curd zing.

The Verdict

Oban 14 earns an 8 — the West Highland style at its finest: elegant, sweet, with just enough smoke and salt. At £52, a hidden gem among Diageo's Classic Malts.

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Joe Whitfield
Joe Whitfield
Editor-in-Chief

Joe has spent over fifteen years immersed in the whiskey industry, beginning his career at a Speyside distillery before moving into drinks journalism. As Editor-in-Chief at Whiskeyful.com, he oversees...

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