Review #575 - Oban 15 Year Cask Strength
This 15 Year Old cask strength release from the Oban distillery is a US-exclusive, a bit like their 18 year old single malt, though this seems to be a singular special bottling. That cask strength sits at a hefty 55.3% ABV, and if we pair that with the selected cask regimen, it looks like this bottle could be a bit of a flavor bomb.
Speaking of those casks - this whisky is first matured for more than 10 years in refill casks, though it doesn't specify whether they are refill sherry or ex-bourbon. After that, a 2 piece finishing process is used: two types of sherry, Oloroso and Palo Cortado, are employed to add a sweet and fruity character whisky.
How will those casks interact with Oban's oily, coastal distillate, especially with a relatively long finishing period of 4+ years?
Oban 15 Year Cask Strength
Scotland/Highland - Single Malt
Price: USD 150 (2025)
Age Statement: 15 Years
Strength: 55.3% ABV
Cask Makeup: Refill casks, finished in Oloroso and Palo Cortado sherry casks
Details: Bottled 2024
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 1 month; bottles at 90%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Very rich sherry - cask forward, fruits of musty red and white grape, orange, syrupy prunes, some fig. It's quite juicy and intense, and there's a bit of heat to go with that high strength, too; brown sugar, malt, and caramel brittle bring more sweetness. At the end, we get little hints of passionfruit and fleshy peach, as well as oversweet purple berries.
Palate: Rich, syrupy fruit: nectarine, grape, blackberries, and cranberry sauce - very cask dominated. Brown sugar adds some sweetness, and we do get a malty character in the background, along with a soft fizzy peat note; there's a nice oily texture. More fruits appear: blood orange, clementine, stone fruit like plum... there's a bit of a raw spirity note, too. The mouthfeel is medium-thick.
Finish: Peaches and nectarine, passionfruit and oranges, a mixture of sweet and tangy/tart flavors. The fizzy note and hint of smoke from the peat lingers, but it's soft; orange soda, hay, and subtle hints of wood polish build in the aftertaste. It's a medium-long and oily finish.
Final Note: There's no doubting that this Oban is a flavor bomb - very rich, absolutely bursting with fruit flavors especially. All sorts of sweet fruits across the color spectrum - red, orange, yellow, purple - dominated the experience, and we had to search a bit deeper for more of that barley character and soft peat. For a 15 year old whisky, we didn't find too much of an oak presence, and it was a bit spirity or hot at times.
Despite the lack of balance, this is still a tasty whisky if you appreciate the sherry-forward tasting experience; value is a little below average, though, as this is also somewhat expensive. Prices seem to be ranging quite a bit from store to store here in the US, but we can find it reliably online for around $150. At that price, we would think twice about buying - this one might depend on your specific flavor profile preferences.
Our Average Rating: 7.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.53
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out some of our other Oban reviews:
Review #94 - Oban 10 Year - Diageo Special Release 2022
