Oban Little Bay

Oban Little Bay takes its name from the Gaelic meaning of Oban itself, the little bay where the distillery has stood since 1794. It carries no age statement, instead built for richness from a marriage of casks, among them smaller refill barrels that increase the spirit's contact with the wood and bring the maturation on more quickly.

The spirit is made the same patient way as every Oban, with long fermentation and slow distillation through the little lamp glass stills, the vapour condensed in the distillery's external worm tubs run hot for plenty of copper contact. The smaller casks then work faster on that soft, fruity spirit than a standard barrel would. Marrying several cask types rather than relying on a single age lets the blender build a fuller, rounder profile than a young single barrel could give on its own.

Bottled at 43%, Little Bay leans into a softer, rounder side of the house style. Vanilla rises from the lignin in the toasted wood while the lactones give coconut and cream, the small cask influence drawing out honey, baked apple and dried fruit over the distillery's signature coastal brine. A wisp of smoke and a malty depth carry a warm, lingering finish.