Oban 18yo...

Oban 18yo (43.0%):  A classic dram from one of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland located in the town of Oban. Although their whiskies are generally loved and sought by whisky lovers they are not as easy to spot on the shelves as Diageo's other brands mainly because of the distillery's yearly output. Since the town is grown so tight around the distillery there isn't much room to expand the site and on top of that the very long fermentation time of the mash doesn't allow to distill more than six mashes every week either. So therefore Oban's capacity is pretty much capped at a little more than 800,000 liters a year. That's why we don't see too many expressions from Oban around actually. Little Bay, 14yo, 18yo and Distiller's Edition are only regular releases and like I said there are also not easy to come by.

Color: Medium amber, honey with thin but slow legs around the glass.

Nose: Dried strawberries, mango slices and papaya. Whiff of smoke, hard wood furniture and toffee fillings. Cooked prunes and raisins and Zante currants. Lemon zest, cookie dough and Golden Delicious apples.

Palate: Incredibly creamy mouthfeel... Peat is more detectable on the palate than it was on the nose. Campfire, honey syrup and apple strudel. Vanilla, spiced apple compote and cloves. No ups and downs, no holes... A flawlessly balanced palate. It's thick, chewy and warming. What a dram to sip especially this time of the year...

Finish: Honey, cinnamon, cloves and whipped cream.

Overall: An old humble rock star who deserves way more fame and appreciation... There is absolutely nothing to complain about this whisky, none... Next time when you are looking for a bottle at this price range you should definitely give it a change. A total crowd pleaser and maybe it is the whisky you are looking for to bring to the New Years party you are invited to...

Price: $115

91/100