Company: Diageo
Distillery: Oban Distillery
Region: Oban, Scotland
Aging: 14 Years
ABV: 43% ABV
Proof: 86 Proof
Mash Bill: 100% Single Malt
Non-Chill Filtered: No
MSRP Price: $99
Oban Distillers Edition – 2020 Tasting Notes
Appearance: Dark Honey
Nose: Buttery brown sugar, sweet caramel, honey, vanilla, dark fruits, raisin, plum, toasted oak, baking spice
Palate: Light peat, salt, briny, rich dark fruits, raisin, plum, chocolate-covered Raisinet candies, sweet caramel and brown sugar, vanilla, oak, cinnamon, spice, pepper
Finish: Smooth, long finish with a rich oily mouthfeel – leaves you with bold dark fruits, buttery caramel and brown sugar, oak, and lingering pepper spice on the tail end
Is Oban Distillers Edition an Approachable Whisky?
Oban Distiller’s Edition is an extremely approachable Scotch Whisky.
It is smoother than your standard Oban 14 Year but also offers a deeper and more complex flavor profile.
This is a whisky that both beginners and experienced whisky drinkers will enjoy.
Is Oban Distillers Edition Complex?
Oban Distiller’s Edition is quite complex.
Not only does it have all the traditional flavors that make Oban delicious, but it is the best of the best chosen by each of the seven distilleries hand-selected for double maturing.
From the bottle’s label:
The Western Highland style of Oban Single Malt is epitomised by its gentle sweetness and surprising richness of palate and finish. The peatiness of the Islands it faces across the First of Lorn is softened by the influences of the Highlands at its back. To underline its sea-laced flavours, the Master Distiller of OBAN has chosen Montilla Fino. This dry, delicate cask-wood beautifully enhances the distinctively graceful style of OBAN.
This is entirely true and I can taste it in each sip.
This 2020 distiller’s edition does have additional wood notes and the Montilla Fino does round out the flavors extremely well while adding even more dark fruit sweetness to the flavor profile.
Not only does this make the whiskey smoother and even more flavorful, but it also seems to have improved the finish to create a smoother and more full-bodied mouthfeel that lets you enjoy the flavors for an extremely long time on each sip.
What are Oban Distillers Edition’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Oban Distiller’s Edition takes the traditional Oban quality and stacks multiple layers of quality and flavor on top of it.
The amount of rich fruit flavors and buttery sweetness is what makes this 2020 Distiller’s Edition special.
Is Oban Distillers Edition a go-to whisky?
If I could get this bottle on a regular basis I would buy it all the time.
However, it is a limited release once per year at the same price as the Oban 14 Year.
Oban 14 Year is one of my standard go-to Scotch Whiskeys and this edition far exceeds that.
Is Oban Distillers Edition priced accurately to its quality?
Oban Distiller’s Edition 2020 Edition delivers above and beyond its price tag.
I would recommend buying this bottle each year and hoping that it’s as good as this 2020 Distiller’s Edition.
Conclusion for Oban Distillers Edition
This 2020 Oban Distiller’s Edition far exceeded my expectations.
I thought this was just going to be the best barrel picks of the standard Oban barrels.
But when I tasted the bottle and read the label to learn more about what went into this edition, here is what the label said:
The Distiller’s Edition of the CLASSIC MALTS SELECTION brings a new dimension of taste and exploration to the enjoyment of Single Malt whisky. Each of the seven distilleries has hand select a small number of their casks for double maturing. The whisky is matured for a second time in cask-wood which each MASTER DISTILLER has chosen to complement the unique character of the individual Malt whisky.
The marriage of cask-wood and whisky has always been a traditional tool of the distiller’s craft but the addition of a second maturing in select cask-woods brings a new depth and complexity to these great Malt whiskies.
The attention to detail and the careful selection of casks for double maturing really make this bottle a special experience.
If you have a chance to purchase this bottle for under $200, I would recommend buying it.
The flavors are extremely enjoyable and if you’re a fan of the traditional Oban Scotch Whisky like I am, you will really appreciate the additional layers of flavor this 2020 Distiller’s Edition delivers.
Let Us Know What You Think
I hope you enjoyed this tasting experience with me.
If you decide to give this bottle a shot, please let me know on social media via Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Thanks for reading and cheers!
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