Oban Scotch Whisky
Oban Scotch whisky distillery was founded in 1794 by the Stevenson brothers John and Hugh. They settled in Oban in 1778 and together they established a boat building yard, a tannery and in the 1790s a brewery, which then became the Oban distillery in 1794.
Walter Higgin bought the distillery in 1883 and between 1890 and 1894 he dismantled and rebuilt it a section at a time, in order to keep up production - such was the demand for Oban' malt whisky. He carefully replicated the famously small stills and other traditional features in order to preserve the quality of the whisky.
The distillery fell silent from 1931 until 1937, then again during the Second World War. The location of the distillery, hemmed in between the cliffs and the other town buildings, prevented further expansion and production decreased gradually until 1969 when the distillery was mothballed.
Production resumed in 1972 when the stillhouse was rebuilt with a new wash- and spirit still. In 1989 a new visitors' centre was installed.
Since 1990 the whisky has been promoted as part of the Classic Malts of Scotland range. The business is now part of Diageo.
Oban Whisky Tasting Notes
Distillery Style
Nose : Fresh, coastal, malty with a hint of peat.
Palate : Light bodied. Coastal with gentle fruits and fresh peat.
Finish : Long and smooth.
