Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

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. Then, the malted barley is 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.Following distillation, Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is aged for 14 years in oak casks. During this beautyrest, the whisky is touched by its unique environment and geography the warm, salty Gulf Stream and mild, temperate climate of Oban are reflected in the whisky. As a result of the distillerys unique stills and geography, the whisky has an olive gold color and a rich, sweet aroma filled with lemons, pears and oranges, as well as sea-salt and a light peatiness. The palate is full-bodied and extremely dry, with notes of dried figs and honey, and leads to a soft, oaky finish.Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt Whisky earned a Gold Medal at the 2013 International Wine and Spirit Competition, is the core expression of this storied distillery which has been operating for over 200 years. Pick up a bottle today!