Oban 20 Years Old 1984 Special Release 2004

This 20 year old was Oban's entry in Diageo's 2004 Special Releases, a 1984 vintage bottled at cask strength in an outturn of 1260. Owner's bottlings at this age are rare from a distillery whose make mostly feeds its core range, and it comes from the small distillery at Oban set up in 1794 by the brothers John and Hugh Stevenson.

Maturation was in ex-Bourbon American oak, two decades giving the soft wood time to work fully. Oban's spirit is made on an extended ferment and a patient distillation through the tiny lantern stills, condensed in hot worm tubs for plenty of copper contact, the soft and fruity make settling over twenty years into oxidative maturity. Owner's bottlings of this age are uncommon from Oban, whose limited output mostly supplies the standard range, so a twenty year old cask strength release was a notable event when it appeared.

Bottled at a natural 57.9%, it is deep and full. The oak's broken down lignin lends vanilla, coconut comes through from the lactones, and slow oxidation builds dried fruit, a waxy weight and a touch of old oak over Oban's honey and salt spray. The gentle smoke threads through a long, rich finish that opens with water.