Bright, full, and distinct, the Oban Distillers Edition 2020 offers all of the idiosyncratic beauty we’ve come to expect from the iconic West Highland distillery with a touch of something new. The offering is one of six limited-edition Single Malt Scotch Whiskies featured in the Diageo 2020 Distillers Edition Collection, and is one of our favorite expressions of the year.
The annual Distillers Edition Single Malts showcase the complexities that unfold as mature Whiskies are given a second maturation period in specially hand-crafted fortified wine casks. In the case of the Oban Distillers Edition 2020, the core Oban 14 Year Old is double-matured in ex-bodega Montilla Fino cask wood for a rich fruitiness and maritime flavors.
Distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2020, the Scotch offers bright aromas of ripe fruit along with sea salt. On the palate, it’s full bodied with flavors of honey and toffee weaving together with delicate fruit notes and waves of brine. The finish delivers sweetened Jamaican coffee and oak. It’s an explosive and full expression of Oban that you’ll be telling all of your friends about while trying to keep the majority of the golden liquid for yourself.
Bottled at ABV 43%, Oban Distillers Edition 2020 is priced at $94.99 per 750 ml bottle, but has already seen its price increase to north of $120 and up to as much as $200, just a month or so after release. You can purchase it via Drizly.
“The annual Distillers Edition whiskies are incredibly rare and special due to the finishing process the whisky undertakes and the superior craftsmanship of our distillery teams,” says US Director of Single Malts Jamie Young. “The team understands the intricacies of coopering and how exploring different casks adds to the dynamic world of flavors, resulting in extremely rounded limited-edition expressions unlike anything else you’ll find on the shelf of your liquor store or spirits shop. If you’re looking to buy a special holiday gift that offers unexpected yet deep, rare and rich flavors from one of the many renowned Diageo Single Malt distilleries, the Distillers Edition whiskies are a superior option that keep giving with every dram.”