Product Description:
Oban 21 Year Old represents a rare and highly sought-after expression from the venerable Oban distillery on Scotland's West Highland coast. Typically released as a limited edition bottling (often within Diageo's Special Releases), this single malt has been matured for a significant 21 years, allowing exceptional depth and complexity to develop. Specific cask recipes and bottling strengths vary depending on the particular release, making each iteration unique. Generally, Oban 21 Year Old showcases the distillery's signature balance of Highland fruit and malt with gentle coastal influences, elevated to a remarkable level of refinement, integration, and maturity through extended aging. It is a collectible whisky prized by enthusiasts for its complexity and rarity.
Tasting Notes (General Profile - specific notes vary significantly by release):
-
Nose: Highly complex and layered. Expect mature notes of baked or dried fruits (such as dried apricot, baked apple, orange marmalade), mingling with deep honey, beeswax, polished leather, and antique oak aromas. The characteristic Oban sea salt and gentle smoke are typically present but deeply integrated, perhaps appearing as salted caramel or fragrant coastal air, alongside subtle spice and possibly herbal nuances.
-
Palate: Often possesses a rich, viscous, and elegant texture. A sophisticated interplay of flavours may include rich malt, dark honey or treacle, complex fruit notes, salted caramel, dark chocolate, gentle wood spice (cinnamon, ginger), and perhaps hints of tobacco leaf or brine. The subtle peat smoke and maritime character are intricately woven into the mature, complex profile shaped significantly by the specific casks used for that release.
-
Finish: Very long, complex, and evolving. Lingering notes of sweet spice, dried fruit, salted caramel, elegant oak tannins, refined gentle smoke, and perhaps a final mineral or saline flourish showcase the exceptional depth achieved through 21 years of maturation.
