A very happy weekend to you all, I hope all of my amazing followers have had a fantastic week, I still cannot believe myself that is less than a month until Christmas!
I mean where has this year gone, to say that we’ve been in a pandemic and had to cope through lockdowns, 2020 is nearing an end and we can truthfully say to one and other, we all can’t wait for 2021 to arrive!
The only way we can stay strong is to remain positive, I mean since October, I haven’t been able to see Isobel, it is hard and I miss her loads and loads, but we manage and the way I look at life is that next year is going to be amazing for both of us!
You may well remember in my last post, I took part in a Virtual Whisky Festival which was proudly hosted by The GlenAllachie Distillery, it was a fantastic experience.
If you want to read all about the samples I tasted, just click here!
To keep the tradition going, I today have another whisky post for you all to indulge in to.
Today’s post is on the Oban 2019 Distillers Edition!
History
The Oban 2019 Distillers Edition is proudly distilled by The Oban Distillery, the distillery is situated up in the West Coast of Scotland within the small resort town of Oban.
It was firstly established in 1794 and was founded by two brothers, John and Hugh Stevenson and was operated by John and Hugh up to 1866!
Then, in 1883 it was acquired by Walter Higgin, the distillery was also rebuilt.
Then, 15 years later, Alexander Edwards bought out Walter Higgin and took over the business, within the first year of Mr Edwards taking over, the company suffered dramatic losses.
Next, between 1931-1937, the business felt silent and then sadly again the business remained empty between 1969-1972.
It was only after 1972, a new still house was installed and then further on 1989 a New Visitor Centre was installed, this was a massive boost for the company, it allowed many people to do tours around the distillery, as well as seeing how the whisky is distilled and what makes Oban Distillery so special.
To this present day and continuing the distillery is now owned by the British Multinational Alcohol Company – Diaego PLC!
The interesting historic feature I love about this distillery is that on-site there are only two pot stills, this makes the Oban Distillery one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland, it’s so small that the total site size is just larger than one acre.
Furthermore, unlike many distilleries and breweries, the Oban Distillery has never expanded its site or ever moved location, its history remains in this one place and always will be.
The Oban Distillery – Photo Credited by Days Out Scotland
I still can’t believe how small this distillery is, but I absolutely adore the exterior of the building and also the interesting facts this place reveals.
The water which is used in the process of making and distilling whisky is from a local loch which is three miles away from the distillery itself.
The Oban Distillery is primarily known for its 14-Year-Old Malt, this is the bottle which I am basing my post on today, the Distillers Edition, is an additional bottling done by the distillery which is linked in within the 14-Year-Old.
Diageo has marketed 14-Year-Old as part of the Classic Malt Selection range which was first launched in 1988.
Oban has also launched a rare 32-Year-Old edition and there was a limit of six thousand bottles which were on sale to the public.
I am really looking forward to the future for this distillery and to see what other whiskies they are going to produce in the future.
Tasting Notes
This Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distillers Edition 2019 has been double-matured for 14 Years in Ex-Bodega Montilla Fino Cask which delivers a rich fruitiness and maritime flavours.
These flavours bond with the fresh, sweet aromas and tastes of the regular release in an explosive, rich and deep expression of Oban.
Review
I’ve had my bottle of Oban 2019 Distillers Edition for over a year now, I actually bought it last year for Christmas, and to say that one year has passed on, I’ve still got over half a bottle left.
In Stoke-On-Trent, there is a beautiful village complex called Trentham Gardens, lucky enough there is a Whisky Shop onsite, there are so many whiskies to choose from, Single Malts, Speyside, Scotch, you name it everything.
You can check out the shop’s website here: The Whisky Shop
It was last weekend when I tried my Oban whisky, I had an enjoyable day going out for a walk and it was time to chill down for the evening, I couldn’t decide what whisky to try, I mean it was a cold evening so I decided to go for the Oban and what a perfect choice it was.
I was all ready to tuck into this beautiful single malt, I couldn’t wait to give it a good swirl around and watch the legs falling down the glass.
The first aroma you will get from this whisky is a sherried feel, this is from the maturation phase from the whisky being racked into Ex-Bodega casks, which is a typical sherried cask, I personally adore sherried whiskies, this is just purely down to the sweetness the whisky delivers.
This whisky is alarmingly sweet, high amounts of orange and citrus will linger on the palate along with a smoky finish, which reminds of you burning fire, no wonder this whisky is ultimately a winter drink.
At the helm of The Whisky Shop, this whisky is said to be one of the customer favourites, there are just enormous amounts of flavour, it’s completely moreish, the finish is slightly dry and there is a small hint of walnut that just appears through towards the end.
What a beautiful and wonderful whisky this was, and it is one of the greatest which I am so truly lucky to own a bottle of.
Ending
In my mind, it doesn’t matter what size the distillery is, the team still have that desired passion and knowledge to produce exquisite whisky.
I would completely recommend this whisky to you, especially that Christmas is coming up, this would be a perfect gift for your loved ones.
Also, if you are looking for a dram to sample for the winter season, then I can guarantee you that The Oban 2019 Distillers Edition 14 Years is the whisky to go for!
Finally, when travelling can resume, why not take the chance and head over to The Whisky Shop in Stoke-On-Trent, you might find your own personal favourite malt to try and you can’t truly beat the prices!
I really hope you all have a fantastic weekend, I’ll be sure to have a drink on all of you!
If you do have any questions about this specific whisky, be sure to post me your comments and I’ll answer them as best as I can.
Take Care and Stay Safe
14Comments
November 28, 2020 at 11:37 am
Wow, lovely post 🙂 I’m not a huge fan of whisky- but my boyfriend loves it, so I’m sure this would be his kind of thing! This sounds really interesting, thank you for sharing (and gorgeous images) x
November 28, 2020 at 12:43 pm
I never thought I would like whisky, but it’s crazy how your palate changes, it’s absolutely beautiful and so sweet, but there are some spicy whiskies.
November 28, 2020 at 4:40 pm
Yay, another whisky post! 🙂 Thanks, Luke.
Some of the very peaty/smoky whiskies don’t suit my taste buds at all. In your view, is the Oban very peaty or is it relatively mild?
November 28, 2020 at 5:26 pm
I’m very glad your liking the whisky posts Richie, I would highly consider the Oban is more of a sherried whisky, this is primarily down to being double matured In ex-bodega Sherry casks, however, I would say this whisky does have that sweetness and fruitiness combined.
November 29, 2020 at 2:34 pm
Love the caramel colour of this whiskey. Gives it that intense look.
November 30, 2020 at 12:19 pm
Wow this was an informative article! I didn’t have any idea about this distillery but I loved reading about it. Thanks 😊👍
November 30, 2020 at 12:58 pm
Thank you, it was an interesting drink to sample 😁
November 30, 2020 at 12:44 pm
Sounds like another great discovery. Interesting as always to read about the background of the distillery. And the tasting notes of course. Cheers!
November 30, 2020 at 12:59 pm
Cheers Mark, I’m just incredibly lucky to be able to have and owe some tremendous whiskies! 😁
November 30, 2020 at 4:51 pm
Anything that’s done with passion is going to reflect in the experience — and this sounds like the distillers have managed to make something really good here. I’d love to try it!
November 30, 2020 at 9:56 pm
A good, warming drink is perfect for the colder months, especially if you have just come in from a freezing walk! I like drinks that are a little sweeter than usual and the orange flavor sounds like it compliments the smoky taste beautifully.
Thank you for sharing this, along with some history on the distillery. If we wait long enough, eventually the right person takes up the reins. 🙂
November 30, 2020 at 10:01 pm
A lot of people do actually think whisky is warming and the reason is being, it’s the flavour, the warming smoky flavours lead to a sweet whisky. I’m looking forward to trying my next whisky 😁🥃
November 30, 2020 at 10:02 pm
I always find that the opportunity to visit a distillery leads to the discovery of something new that I love. Plus, there’s nothing that my husband and I enjoy more than learning the history behind the different breweries and distilleries that we visit. This is one that I hadn’t heard of (we are in Canada), so I was LOVING reading through everything that you shared here!
December 1, 2020 at 12:25 am
Well when it’s safe, I would highly recommend you to come and visit the UK, the amount of distilleries and breweries we have on offer are amazing 😁