Oban Distiller's Edition Bottled 2022

Visiting Oban town in Scotland was an amazing experience; the town itself is gorgeous. The distillery, unlike most in Scotland, is centrally located by the river. It's as beautiful as you'd expect. During a tasting tour inside, I sampled the Oban Distiller's Edition 2008, bottled in 2022 at 43% ABV. The aroma began with a lovely red fruit syrup, like maraschino cherries, and a strong sherry influence. Lemon zest appeared after a moment, followed by plums. After a few sips, the sea-salt scent, characteristic of Oban, emerged along with notes of hay and grass, and a hint of nuttiness. The taste was slightly dry, with hints of hay and glue. A salty sensation followed each bite, along with a touch of ginger, resembling salty water. There was also a subtle cotton candy note. The finish was intensely salty, like an excessive amount of salt balanced by an elegant puff of hay smoke. After a couple of sips, I could clearly discern an aromatic and refined smokiness. Overall, the nose was good, the palate was decent, and the finish was outstanding. The saltiness here is more pronounced than in any other Oban I've tried, which I don't see as a negative. My rating is 88 out of 100.

Nose: A sharp, almost citrusy scent. Undertones of stone fruit and sherry. Palate: A smooth, somewhat viscous texture. It feels like licking salt, but without the taste. Notes of toffee and spicy pepper are present. Finish: Hints of salted caramel. A subtle citrus peel note remains.

This is about as smooth a scotch as I've tried. A slight hint of peat or earthy flavor, maybe leaning more earthy. A nice smoke flavor also mellows this one out just right! Definitely one to keep on the bar top!

Milk chocolate notes.