Review #699 - Oban 18 Year
Like the recently released 15 year old cask strength single malt, this 18 year old version of Oban's single malt is a United States exclusive. The US is one of the largest markets for single malt Scotch, but it's a bit perplexing that this isn't more widely available considering the high regard that Oban distillate is held in. Actually, this isn't even easy to find here in the US - the bottlings seem to be sporadic, and therefore, this bottle commands a price between $150 and $200, depending on where you look.
There's no cask type listed on this Oban, but sources online point in the direction of 'American oak casks.' Like many of the Diageo-owned distillery releases, this is bottled at a strength of 43% ABV, and it's almost definitely chill filtered and contains added caramel coloring. How will the famous Oban distillate handle those setbacks?
Oban 18 Year
Scotland/Highland - Single Malt
Price: USD 180 (2025)
Age Statement: 18 Years
Strength: 43% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 2 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Apples, caramel, and honey to start; after that, a strong floral side develops, bringing purple heather flowers. There is a decent oak influence here: polished old furniture oak builds up with time. There's a bit of peppery, vegetal malt at times, showing some soft spirit character despite the longer aging period.
Palate: The mouthfeel has a medium thickness. Fizzy malty flavors mix with stronger polished oak to start, and we get some sweetness from brown sugar and caramel. Orange oil adds a sharpness, and there's a subtle tickling peat behind that; more oily, coastal salt elements arrive in time, and we get hints of both stone fruit and darker fruits like plum and raisin.
Finish: Hay and lemon soda, quite fizzy, with golden raisin and some salty notes. The complexion is bright, and we get more malty flavors with a wisp of peat smoke. Pepper, sugary oatmeal, orange pith, and raisin linger in the aftertaste; it's a medium length finish.
Final Note: Well, despite the low bottling strength and other sub-par presentation elements, this is still a very good single malt from Oban distillery. It's a bit of a classic, classy dram: nicely refined, a bit mellow, but with enough complexity that it stays interesting. There's a nice variety of fruit, malty flavors, brine, and soft smoke, meaning you can spend plenty of time exploring this as it evolves in the glass. The mouthfeel and length of finish are of course a little bit lacking due to that lower strength, but this bottle fares better than most '43%ers' in that regard.
Value-wise, this is a bit below average due to the cost to obtain it. It is a good single malt, and fans of Oban may want to pick one up, but for others not as attached to the distillery, it's quite easy to get more flavor for less money in the Scotch market.
Our Average Rating: 7.7 / 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: 5.54
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 #575 - Oban 15 Year Cask Strength
Review #94 - Oban 10 Year - Diageo Special Release 2022
