Oban scotch: which bottle to buy in Westford

Oban is a West Highland single malt scotch, known for a light coastal smoke balanced by fruit and a little sweetness. CBC Liquors in Westford carries four Oban bottles, listed on our Oban brand page: the 14 Year, the Distillers Edition, Little Bay and the 12 Year Special Release. Below is what separates them, how people usually drink them, and how to pick one up or have it brought to you.

What is Oban scotch?

Oban is a single malt scotch whisky made at a distillery in the town of Oban, on the west coast of Scotland. Single malt means the whisky comes from malted barley at one distillery. Oban is usually grouped with the Highland style, and it is often called a West Highland malt because of where it sits on the coast.

The distillery is one of the smaller ones in Scotland, and it works with a small pair of stills. The name comes from the Gaelic for little bay, which is also where the Little Bay bottling gets its name.

The house character sits somewhere between the gentle, fruity side of the Highlands and the saltier, smokier side of the coast. That middle position is why Oban gets recommended to people who find the heavily peated island whiskies too much, and also to people who find a very soft malt too quiet.

If you want to browse more whisky before you decide, our Scotch and whiskey pages are the place to start.

Which Oban bottles does CBC Liquors carry?

We carry four Oban products: Oban 14 Year, Oban Distillers Edition, Oban Little Bay and Oban 12 Year Special Release.

They cover three different jobs. The 14 Year is the classic expression and the one most people mean when they say Oban. The Distillers Edition takes that character and adds a sherry-cask finish. Little Bay is a bottling without an age statement, and the 12 Year Special Release is a limited annual bottling that changes from one release to the next.

All the Oban we carry is gathered on the Oban brand page, so you can see the current bottles in one place before you make the drive to Littleton Rd.

What does Oban taste like?

Tasting notes are personal, but the 14 Year is usually described along the same lines: a gentle wisp of smoke, a touch of sea salt, dried fruit and orange peel, and a honeyed sweetness underneath. The smoke is there but it is not the main event, which is why the whisky feels balanced rather than aggressive.

That balance makes it easy to sip neat. A few drops of water can open up the fruit and soften the smoke if you want to explore it, but plenty of people like it just as it comes.

If you have only had very peaty scotch, Oban will taste lighter and rounder. If you usually drink softer malts, it will taste a step more savory and coastal.

What is the difference between Oban 14 Year and the Distillers Edition?

Both start from the same Oban spirit. The 14 Year has spent fourteen years maturing, and that age statement is on the label, so you know the youngest whisky in the bottle is fourteen years old.

The Distillers Edition is that same style of whisky given a second maturation in casks that held sherry, specifically Montilla Fino sherry casks. A finish like that tends to add a rounder, richer layer of dried fruit and a slightly nutty, sweet note over the coastal base.

The simple way to choose: start with the 14 Year if you want to know what Oban is at its core. Move to the Distillers Edition if you already like it and want a version with a sherry influence, or if you are buying for someone who enjoys richer, fruitier whisky.

Buying both and tasting them side by side is a good evening, and it shows you exactly what a cask finish does.

Where does Oban Little Bay fit in?

Oban Little Bay is a bottling without an age statement. That means the label does not give a number of years, and the whisky is chosen for flavor rather than to hit a particular age.

It is a way into the distillery's style if you want to try Oban without starting with an older bottle. It still carries the Oban house character of light smoke, fruit and a little salt.

If you are choosing a first Oban, ask yourself whether you care about an age on the label. If you do, go for the 14 Year. If you would rather simply taste the distillery, Little Bay is a fair place to start.

What is the Oban 12 Year Special Release?

The Oban 12 Year Special Release is a limited annual bottling. Special Releases are put out in small numbers, and the details of each year's edition can differ from the last, so a bottle you tried before may not match the one on the shelf now.

That makes it a good choice for someone who already knows the regular Oban range and wants something a little different, and a good gift for a whisky fan who has the standard bottles already.

If this is the bottle you are after, check the product page or ask us when you stop in, and we can tell you what we have on hand.

How should you drink Oban?

Neat is the usual answer, in a small tulip-shaped glass or a simple tumbler. Pour a modest measure, let it sit for a minute and take small sips so the smoke and fruit come through without being overwhelmed.

Add a little water if it feels hot or closed, or one large ice cube if you like it cold. Because Oban is delicate, it does not take well to strong mixers, and it is better kept for sipping than for cocktails.

For food, the coastal character suits smoked salmon, oysters, salty cheeses and dark chocolate. A fruit-forward bottle like the Distillers Edition also works with dessert.

As with any spirit, enjoy it slowly and responsibly, and only if you are 21 or over.

How do you buy Oban from CBC Liquors in Westford?

The simplest way is to stop by 142 Littleton Rd in Westford. We are open Sunday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Pickup hours are the same as store hours.

We also offer delivery and shipping. Delivery hours run Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. To see whether we deliver to you, start with the delivery areas page, or go straight to your town: Chelmsford, Acton, Littleton, Lowell and Billerica are among the towns we serve. Our shipping policy covers shipping.

Across the store we have 4,617 products in stock from 1,892 brands, so if you are buying Oban as a gift, you can pick up a mixer, a bottle of wine or a six-pack in the same trip. Customers rate us 4.7 out of 5 from 339 Google reviews.

If you want a quick answer on which Oban suits you or the person you are buying for, ask at the counter.