Oban 14 Year

Dried fruits, raisins, a hint of orange, and a touch of smoke on the nose. The palate is crisp with some citrus, possibly orange. It has a cookie-like note, not sugary, more like the biscuits my grandmother served at Christmas. On the finish, I detect a note similar to JW Black, which I can only describe as smoked honey, but the smokiness here is more persistent than in JW Black. The finish isn't extremely long, but it's just about right, and at 43% ABV, it provides a very pleasant oily mouthfeel. I must disclose that I have been exclusively drinking JW Black (neat) for the past two months and bought this bottle on impulse today. I find them both very similar, with Oban 14 being clearly superior but sharing a similar profile and character. My fondness for JW Black goes beyond its complexity or its history of creating great accessible blends; it was the first scotch I ever tried, and while it wasn't love at first sip, it definitely opened the door to the world of whiskey. Over the last 14 years, I've sampled many whiskies, including bourbon, scotch, and Irish, and dabbled in Japanese, but scotch remains my favorite by far. After trying whiskies like Lagavulin, Laphroigh, Highland Park, and Glenlivet, I hope I'm not exaggerating when I say this is an exceptional single malt and among the best I've ever had, if not the best. Take this with a grain of salt, as my palate may not be as refined as some of yours. The price is steep at $96.99 per bottle, but I will try to always keep a bottle of this in my collection for my own enjoyment.

Nose: Light fruity notes, apples, pears, saltiness, and a hint of smoke. Palate: Similar to the nose, with abundant light fruit, a touch of smoke, and a hint of seaweed. The finish is medium, concluding with an ashy note. It's refreshing and intriguing, leaving you wanting more. Price: Under $100; expensive but worthwhile, definitely a repurchase. Score: 9.2/10 - An amazing pour - Keep it in stock! Final thoughts: I'm absolutely delighted! This is a beautiful whiskey, suitable for any occasion or season. The burst of fruit on both the nose and palate makes it an easy-drinking spirit and a definite repurchase. Despite the higher cost, I still believe it's worth the splurge. I've enjoyed every serving from the bottle and am sad to be finishing it. That, to me, signifies a great scotch. Do you have an opinion on this particular scotch? Is it a regular on your shelf? Would you suggest it to someone else?

The nose is gentle and inviting, with a malt-forward profile. Top notes include crisp green pears and slightly underripe stone fruit, lightly seasoned with white pepper, cinnamon, and sea salt. Underneath these, there are richer layers of honey, malted barley, and butter cookie. The base features a modest scent of clean earthy peat and nearly imperceptible oak vanillin. The taste is well-balanced, sweet, spicy, smoky, and salty. Orchard fruits mingle with butterscotch, leading to cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, some licorice root, and a hint of brine. It has a medium body with a pleasant slickness on the palate. However, it shows no legs in the glass. The finish begins with ashiness, followed by lingering warm spice and salinity. Eventually, it mellows into a soft, honeyed woodiness with black tea tannins and green citrus notes, reminiscent of vanilla chai or Earl Grey. Aroma: 8 Taste: 9 Body: 7 Finish: 9

Similar notes to my previous tasting on 9/18/23. Tastes of pears. And more pears. With some apples, salinity, dried grass, subtle smoke. A light, slippery texture on the palate, with hints of dried orange peel and a peppery bite, followed by espresso and vanilla in the aftertaste. This spirit is like the underdog of Scotch whisky. It doesn't get enough appreciation. Is it readily available? Yes. Is it easy to drink? Yes. Do you need to spend over $100 to get it? No. These are positive attributes. And according to the official tasting notes: described as "very palatable" with "pear, sea salt, heather, toasted barley, and a hint of earthy peat smoke." Thus, it's good. And five distinct flavor notes, indicating complexity. So it gets an 83. Let others disapprove. It's good. Will I purchase it again? It has a permanent place in my collection. Rated 4+ on the official scale.

Quite balanced. It offers fruity and cereal sweetness, leaving a full mouthfeel and a moderately sharp spiciness. It's very smooth for sipping - just enough depth for a mellow sensation but lacking the harshness that would create a rougher texture. I can imagine many situations where this would be a preferred whiskey; besides the hottest summer and coldest winter days, it can suit most other times. It's really good, just shy of exceptional. There's a very faint hint of ashy smoke.

Notes of pear, sea salt, quince, orange marmalade, apricot, and a mild smokiness. Additionally, carambola and papaya, which are new experiences for me despite my 20 years of familiarity with this whisky. The mouthfeel is rounded. A touch of white pepper concludes the experience. I've consistently appreciated Oban 14. No one criticizes this whisky except for the "experts"--but "broad appeal" doesn't have to exclude "enthusiast appeal." It's a very good whisky. 4.25 out of 4.5.