It’s an ideal alternative to return to one thing acquainted.
Recently, I formally completed one other semester of my postgraduate research. For these unfamiliar with what it’s like, consider it as much like faculty however being extra specialised. The diploma I’m pursuing is of a particular subject within the social sciences, so think about needing to learn 100 pages from journal articles or books each week, learn to perceive and suppose within the language of that self-discipline, and write structured and demanding educational papers. This could provide you with a good suggestion.
Don’t get me unsuitable: it’s been an amazing expertise up to now, and I’ve discovered greater than I can quantify. However I can’t deny that the workload typically turns into overwhelming. The earlier semester, particularly, was full of sufficient necessities, deadlines, and in-betweens that made it tough for me to write down articles for Malt on the identical tempo I initially had after I began working as a contributor again in February of this yr. It’s been an absolute whirlwind.
Proper after I emailed my professor to submit my remaining paper for the semester, the sense of aid that I felt was indescribable. Lastly! Now, I may focus extra of my time for relaxation and indulging in my hobbies. I went to my liquor shelf for a much-needed dram, thought-about my choices, and determined to search for a whisky that wouldn’t want a lot pondering, one which I can possibly get pleasure from whereas studying a e-book (this time, for leisure), watching a collection, and even woolgathering. I figured that I’d save the extra difficult drams subsequent time. Sure, the actually good ones are usually not at all times one of the best selections!
Ultimately, my gaze fell on Oban 14, tucked away in its tube on the finish of the shelf. This appeared like an amazing alternative for the type of whisky I used to be in search of, I believed. As soon as I poured in a dram and settled down on my desk, I went to Malt, questioning what others have stated about this whisky, and was shocked to study that there haven’t been any items on Oban 14 but!
You’d suppose {that a} web site like Malt would have opinions of classics like this, however maybe happenstance simply precipitated the writers’ consideration to shift elsewhere. A evaluate of this single malt is unquestionably lengthy overdue, and I spotted that rectifying this hole in Malt’s archives could be nice for the location and its readers whereas additionally serving as a superb means of getting myself again into the rhythms of writing. So, right here we’re.
Oban is a Western Highland Scotch distillery and model owned by Diageo. Based in 1794 at Argyll, the distillery was initially operated as a brewery however started distillation shortly after. Like lots of Scotland’s distilleries, possession modified a number of instances, and the distillery was modernized, too. Immediately, Oban is alleged to be the second smallest distillery owned by Diageo in terms of manufacturing capability, at 870,000 liters per yr.
After I was new to whisky years in the past, I first discovered of Oban as a result of its 14-year-old single malt was one of many six Traditional Malts of Scotland, a range created by Diageo in 1988 and afterward mass-produced and distributed amongst on-sale areas throughout the UK. Naturally, I thought-about it one of many key Scotches that I wanted to attempt with the intention to study extra concerning the class. Its standing on gross sales – being the fifth bestselling single malt in Diageo’s portfolio as of 2021 – actually signifies the dimensions of its buyer base, and of the place it holds as a Scotch staple. Make no mistake, although: it’s standing is basically as a result of Diageo’s advertising and marketing.
The Oban 14-year-old is the distillery’s flagship expression. It’s distilled from lightly-peated malt, aged in refill ex-Bourbon casks, chill-filtered, and bottled at 43% energy.
Oban 14 Years Outdated – Overview
Shade: Yellow-gold.
On the nostril: There’s an preliminary puff of wax that fades instantly and turns into caramel sauce and bubble gum. A really transient sprint of smoke. Tulip petals, dry oats, paprika, and virtually a way of creaminess. General, it’s balanced, doesn’t have a lot complexity, and constantly comes throughout as delicate.
Within the mouth: A bit oilier than the nostril would have you ever count on, it’s candy and barely salty. Outdated Cray-Pas. Chamomile tisane blended with a teaspoon of milk. A contact of toasted apples accompany a gentle layer of ginger and a sprinkling of garlic powder. I get a “dusty” notice that I typically get from malt-forward whiskies. This “dustiness” manifests in barely numerous methods relying on the whisky; in terms of this one, it leans extra towards stale chocolate chip cookies. The tail finish of the event just isn’t too flashy, having simply bitter oak and faint pear skins. The end is fast and woody, with an analogous aftertastes that you simply get from having a bowl of skin-on pink grapes.
Conclusions:
Attempting this blind wouldn’t lead me to suppose that this was condensed in worm tubs in any respect. For me, that manufacturing technique sometimes causes whiskies to have this hefty, meaty character. As a substitute, this Oban 14 is on the softer aspect, gentle, and fruit-floral. A number of sources agree that regardless of utilizing worm tubs, Oban is ready to preserve the lightness of its single malt character by utilizing lengthy fermentation intervals, largely over 100 hours per batch, and by working the worm tubs scorching in order that the copper floor expands, offering better copper contact that strips the heavier compounds.
It’s not dangerous. Whereas it’s simple to get pleasure from Oban 14 mindlessly and as a “background whisky,” which I usually gravitate towards, I like that it has just a little extra depth to its character that may be appreciated if given sufficient consideration.
This sells in native shops for as little as $70; at this value, it could be on the restrict of my threshold for recommending it to those that are new to whisky, so there might be no modifications in my rating. It’s unlucky that this single malt’s value is projected to go up 92%, however at this level, this shouldn’t be a shock anymore in terms of mega-corporations like Diageo. I ponder how these costs would shift the best way newcomers to whisky would understand “basic” malts like Oban, however I suppose that’s a dialog for one more time.
