Whisky: Oban 10 Year, 2022 Special Release

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 57.1%

Cask: Refill and New American Oak, Amontillado Finish

Age: 10 Years (Bottled 2022)

Nose: Orange and pineapple, chocolate, orchard fruit, subtle almond and butterscotch, woody antiques, hints of tobacco and salt, touch of spirit.

Palate: Medium-bodied, bitter orange and citrus, hints of bergamot and honey, mineral water or talc, mild salinity, cream and coconut, a touch of spirited prickle.

Finish: Medium-length with mild citrus, salt, and wood.

Score: 6 (79)

Mental Image: Seaside Edible Arrangement

Narrative & Notes: The aroma opened with a beautiful bouquet of chocolate-covered oranges and pineapple wedges while crisp apples and pears lingered in the background with slivered almonds and warm butterscotch.  Teak and oak lent the impression of antique furniture with wood oil, resin, and hints of tobacco smoke.  Chocolate carried on with an occasional kiss of salt and a touch of spirited prickle.  Medium-bodied, the flavor profile featured ample citrus with bitter oranges, clementines, grapefruit, and pomelo.  A lovely mineral element hung in the background, sometimes akin to talc, otherwise a strong mineral water with a mellow salinity paired with bergamot and honey.  Occasionally, hints of cream and coconut developed and came out more after a few drops of water.  Water also helped dampen a touch of spirited prickle on the back end.  The finish was medium-length with mild citrus, salt, and wood.

Delightful. The flavors were lovely as fruits with a kiss of salt and minerals ran throughout the experience.  A few drops of water gave the whisky a more tropical vibe and cooled the bit of spirit that came through.  This was not the most complex whisky, but one could do a lot worse for a decade-old cask-strength offering from an uncommon distillery.  My experience with Oban is limited; the distillery is one of the smallest in the Diageo portfolio and feels an odd fit amongst some of the behemoths that it controls.  The spirit is unique, though, which likely explains why the distillery escaped contraction during the lean years of the 80s and 90s.

Overall, this is just about exactly what you want from these annual special editions. Sure, this did not blow me away, but it represents a rarely-seen malt with an interesting and well-integrated finish. This was one of those whiskies that, while I did not rate it really high, I would likely kill the bottle in record time as it was immensely drinkable and malleable for different moods.