Oban 18 Year

This was a performance bonus purchase, because I’m loathe to spend hard-earned money on anything Diageo over $80. Nose is light and inoffensive, with jammy pears and apricots, a nice hint of honeysuckle and a small bit of very old, very sun-dried wood. Not bad, but nothing to make me nose it more than is necessary to actually drink it. Palate is almost oily, moderately rich, also fruity-sweet, and nicely balanced. Sweet apricot and bitter orange rind, sweet honeydew and tart apple, sugary canned pears and sour green grass. Finish is dry oak, which puts it a little too far into the bitter spectrum for my preference, and seems out of place with the rest of the palate. Overall it’s decent, but takes some work to pick the parts from the whole. If I sipped without thought, I would consider this an ok drink, but I say the same about Evan Williams BiB, and it’s $25 a handle, versus $155 a fifth. For that money, I want something that sings to me, that draws me in and compels me to keep coming back. This does not. What it does, is remind me to not spend more than $80 on Diageo, because I will forever be disappointed knowing I could have had a nice Laphroaig, Springbank, Ledaig, BenRiach or GlenDronach, and probably some extra money to spare.

I've loved every Oban expression I've had, starting with the mainstay Oban 14, which is utterly delicious. The 18 builds upon that deliciousness, even though four additional Scottish whisky years is nowhere near as "long" as four years of American whiskey aging due to Oban's damp North Atlantic coastal climate. (The average daily high temperature at the peak of summer in Oban is 64°, which is lower than the average daily low in Bardstown, Kentucky of 69°; the average daily high at the peak of summer in Bardstown is 87°. Higher temperatures age whisk(e)y more quickly). Deep pale amber. Upon opening and pouring, immediately notice richly effusive notes of orange marmalade and poached pear; successive nosings reveal honeydew, lightly toasted coconut, brown sugar, milk chocolate, and the faintest whiff of smoky bacon. A touch of leather on the palate finishing with gentle white pepper. What seems to be a touch of woody bitterness on the finish is the only detractor from an otherwise fabulous pour. 43% ABV is nicely balanced. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Lightly smoked, oaky finish with hints of salt and floral.