OBAN DISTILLERY

After moving with their widowed mother to the small port city of Oban (situated in northwest Scotland), John and Hugh Stevenson took jobs building and repairing boats at the citys boatyard, a trade they had learned from their late father. In the 1790s, the brothers left their boat-making jobs and founded a brewery in the city. In 1794, they converted their brewery into Oban Distillery, one of the oldest and most prestigious distilleries in Scotland.For nearly a century, Oban Distillery remained in the hands of the Stevenson family. In 1883, however, J. Walter Higgin purchased the distillery and began renovations. While Higgin renovated both the distillerys equipment and structure, he did so piecemeal in order to ensure that the distillery was able to meet the uninterrupted demand for its whisky. Today, over 100 years later, Oban Distillery remains substantially the same as it was after Higgins refurbishment.Oban Single Malt Whisky is made using 100 percent barley, which is malted to the distillerys exact specifications. After the barley is malted, it is partially germinated and gently dried over a peat kiln, giving it a slightly smoky, malty flavor profile. The malted barley is then mashed and fermented before being twice-distilled through Obans lantern-shaped copper-pot stills. The stills are among the smallest in Scotland, and limit Obans production to just 650,000 liters of whisky annually.Oban 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the third limited release whisky produced by Oban Distillery in its 219-year history. Released as part of Diageos 2013 Special Release Whiskies, Oban 21 Year Old was matured for 21 years in rejuvenated American oak and second-fill ex-bodega casks before being bottled at cask strength. The whisky has a copper-golden color, along with an aroma of warm gingerbread, caramel, maple syrup and spicy apples. The aroma gives way to notes of creamy vanilla, barley, stewed pears and ginger on the palate, and leads to a finish accented by salty tang and lemon zest.Only 2,860 bottles of this whisky have ever been produced. Pick up a bottle today!