Oban Little Bay Single Malt Scotch Review & Tasting Notes

“Row just a few metres out to sea, and you can fit the entire town of Oban within the single frame of a camera. And the distillery is just a speck inside that image.

 

Oban is one of the smallest whisky makers in Scotland. And that’s key to the character of our products. When expansion isn’t an option and the volume we’re able to produce is limited, we stand on quality, authenticity, and heritage.” - Diageo

 

The Oban Distillery was established by John and Hugh Stevenson in 1794 in Little Bay. The distillery was built in what is now Oban, a port city in the West Highlands of Scotland. The Stevensons sold the distillery to Peter Curnstie in 1866, who later sold it to Walter Higgin in 1883. During Higgin's renovation of the distillery, workers made a remarkable discovery - the remains of ten people believed to be thousands of years old!

 

Then, in 1898, Alexander Edward purchased it from Higgin, adding it to his portfolio that included the Aultmore and Craigellachie distilleries. Serious financial complications occurred, and in 1925, John Dewar & Sons purchased the distillery, which then became part of Distillers Company Limited. In 1931, Oban was shut down, only to be resurrected in 1937. It happened again in 1969, reopening in 1972 with a new stillhouse and without its malting floors. In 1999, the distillery was acquired by United Distillers & Vintners, which became the spirits division of Diageo, fully converting in 2004.

 

Did you know that Oban is one of the smallest distilleries in the Diageo group, with only two pot stills? Surprisingly, almost 90% of what it produces is sold in the US market. Additionally, it is one of only 16 Scottish distilleries that use worm tubs. Oban's unique worm tub system involves two nested within each other.

Everything the distillery releases is 43% ABV (86°), and today, we’re looking at Oban Little Bay Single Malt Scotch. Oban is distilled in small batches, aged individually in refill American oak hogsheads, ex-European oak Sherry hogsheads, and refill casks with new ends. Once dumped, those whiskies are blended and aged further in 200-liter former Bourbon barrels, the smallest the distillery uses. Little Bay carries no age statement, and you can expect to spend around $43.00 for a 750ml bottle.

 

I procured my bottle from a random liquor store after I had a chance to review the 2023 Distiller’s Edition. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what this former travel-exclusive whisky offers.

 

Appearance: I sipped Little Bay neat from a Glencairn glass. It presented as a brilliant orange-amber while generating a thin rim. The tears that fell were slow and medium-weighted.

 

Nose: As I brought my glass under my nostrils, I encountered an aroma of caramel, candied orange slices, ocean air, and spiced nuts. Drawing the air through my lips revealed salted applesauce.

 

Palate: The creamy texture was medium weight, and the front of my palate plucked almonds, baked apples, and orange zest. The middle tasted of salted caramel, muted mint, and raisins, while the back featured clove, oak, and dark chocolate.

 

Finish: Long and persistent, the flavors of dark chocolate, raisins, clove, oak, salted caramel, and orange zest remained.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I think of rapid aging when I think of “small barrels.” But, in reality, 200 liters converts to 52 gallons, a gallon shy of a standard American whisky barrel (and they probably are 53-gallon barrels). Regardless of the container size, what Oban has accomplished is delicious. This whisky is well-balanced, full of flavors, and offers an authentic Scotch sipping experience. It would be stupid to give this any rating other than a Bottle. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.