Oban Little Bay

The staff review is pretty accurate for Oban Little Bay. I was never a big fan of Oban 14, but I'm really enjoying this one. As I'm not a purist, I generally like well made NAS whisky for the youthful kick, and this is no exception. This is a relatively gentle highland malt with a good mix of fruit and spices. The finish is medium length with oak and salt at the end. At 43% add only a couple drops of water. Would be better non-chill filtered and natural color.

Okay, my first sample from the Scotland Distillery Trade group is officially in the books. This one was graciously supplied by my friend Ryan. It's 43% alcohol, non-chill filtered but I believe there is color added to this NAS offering. This bottle runs just north of $50 and is a steal IMO. One funny thing I feel like pointing out first, though, is the name. Apparently Oban translates to "little bay" in Gaelic. So, in essence, this could've been called Oban Oban. I just found that a bit funny. Moving on. I had the pleasure of trying this beside a sample of the Oban 18 year old just to see if the bloodlines run connected. That was were I made a startling discovery- but more on that later... The nose is beautifully complex: toffee, extra sweet honey, peaches and a hearty oak presence. They all swirl around wonderfully in the glass. I'm liking where this is heading. The palate is loaded (like the 18yo) with crisp, green apples, juicy apricots and pears all in front of a backdrop of lively, young oak. It's just peppery enough to keep the sweetness in check. This all just works so well together and fades into an incredible finish. It's got a tropical feel to it at first, as all the orchard fruits fall away, but it finishes long, spicy and a tad bit syrupy. This is where I was taken by surprise- the Little Bay and the 18yo look identical, smell very similar and actually have a very close flavor profile. The Little Bay is a bit more lively due to the smaller, ex-bourbon casks used. The exposure to those barrels really adds a kick to an already excellent dram. So, while this was an excellent way to kick off my journey with my new trading group, I'm disappointed in the fact that Little Bay overshadows its bigger, older brothers (the 14 & 18 year olds). If you factor in the price it's even more of a shock to me. Overall, if you guys are in the market for an Oban bottle, pony up the extra $5-6 over the 14yo and pocket the $65-70 savings from the 18yo, and drink the best of the trio- the Oban Oban. Trust me, this is a no brainer. This is a perfect example of bigger not always being better. Cheers, my friends.

Saccharine, maple syrup, dried fruits on the nose. Simple sugar aftertaste

A run-of-the-mill whisky with nothing unpleasant or extraordinary. The nose has a nice touch of apple juice and caramel, with a simple palate that adds a layer of salt and spice (maybe cinnamon). The finish is... kinda boring, truthfully. Not bad.