Diageo's Distiller's Edition series takes their Classic Malt Range offerings and puts them in sherry casks for an additional 6 months. So for this one, it's the Oban 14 +6 months in sherry. I'm a fan of the latter, and I loved what those 6 months did for the Lag 16. This should be a good one. This is the 2018 Edition. Nose: Classic Oban. Light whiff of smoke is detectable. Heavy on the honey, vanilla, and apple. Distinct soapy note that I associate with Oban. The sherry influence is minimal, though I do get a bit of strawberry jam if I search for it. Relatively light but solid nose nonetheless. Came back to this months later and I've got to say, the nose is much vibrant. Additional notes of pear, apricot, honeydew, cantalope, marshmallow, and custard. I now think it is the most interesting part of the whisky. Palate: Similar to the nose but gets it up a notch. It's still heavy on the vanilla, honey, and apple. This is followed by honeydew, cherry, roasted almond, and toffee. Here, Oban's coastal quality becomes more pronounced. The soapiness is now coupled with a noticeable saline characteristic. Just a puff of smoke. Once again, the sherry influence is in the background. It's cherry and maybe some dark grape. All good things here. I'm a big fan of the honeydew note. Can't say I've picked it up anywhere else. Finish: Respectable for 43 ABV. It's a cross between fruity sweetness coming in the form of cherry, dark grape, and red apple, and a spicy oak and cinnamon punch. The smoke is a bit more prominent here, and the sherry influence shines at this point. Overall, it's good stuff. It won't blow you away or change your perception of Single Malt Whisky. But it does bat well above average from start to finish. It's an easy-going dram that's just complex enough to command your attention. Perfect for a summer evening. Initially, I passed on this one due to price. My local liquor store had this pegged at a hefty $98. However, when this went on sale for $75, I had to pull the trigger. Well worth the money. So far these Diageo Distillers Editions have done me well. Looking forward to trying the rest of the lineup. As for the Oban DE, I'll say 4 stars flat. Well done. Came back to this months later and time has really done this well. Bumped up to 4.25.