We’re usually quite fond of Oban expressions in the Special Releases. Merely two years ago we had an Oban 10 Year Old (finished in Amontillado) and this year the same age statement appears, again with a sherry finish.
This year’s bottling matured in refill casks, before finishing in charred American oak barrels, seasoned with Oloroso sherry. Sherry casks are normally toasted instead of charred and they’re usually larger than a standard barrel. That makes it quite uncommon indeed, although we should add that an increased wood influence rarely makes it nicer in our book.
Oban 10 Years ‘Coastal Orchard’ (58%, OB Special Releases 2024, charred Oloroso seasoned barrels)
Nose: light and seemingly high-pitched, with something in between pine needles and white flowers. Green apple, along with grassy notes and lemon. Salty sea air comes out, with a light hint of mustard. Green oak spice (nutmeg and pepper) adds to the sharpness.
Mouth: a layer of sweet fruits (apples, stewed peaches, sultanas), but pungent spice quickly overshadows the fruitiness. Ginger, white pepper and quite some salty notes again. Then firm peppermint and almost a rye element as well. More floral notes. There’s a hint of salted caramel underneath, but it’s less sherried than I expected.
Finish: medium length, with more oak spice, a bit of peppery heat and citrus.
Mixed feelings here. There’s a nice coastal hint, mixing well with the floral notes. On the other hand there’s little depth to this Oban, making it a bit rough and immature. The charred wood left a bigger footprint than the Oloroso. I preferred the previous Oban 10 Years from 2022, which is still available at a significantly lower price… Available from The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt, among many other retailers.
As a side note, I would advice Diageo not to release the same distillery at the same age unless the previous edition is sold out everywhere. They are basically shooting themselves in the foot by having two versions on the shelves at the same time, right?