Oban Hand Filled Distillery Exclusive 11 Years Batch 1
When travelling to Scotland and visiting local distilleries, it is almost a must to fill at least one bottle yourself. This is usually offered on site. On our last trip to Scotland, we visited the Oban distillery, among others. As Oban does not have the wide range of core bottlings and is also rarely chosen by independent bottlers, it made sense to fill a bottle there ourselves at cask strength. The question is: Is it actually worth it? We take a closer look at the Oban Hand Filled Distillery Exclusive 11 Years Batch 1.
The panel
Mean 86.5 · spread 1
Value for money 0/5
- Distillery
- Oban
- Type
- Single Malt
- Region
- Highlands
- Country
- Scotland
- Age
- 11 years
- Strength
- 53.8% ABV
- Character
- floral
Tasting
Nose
The Oban 11 years in cask strength seduces with fresh vanilla, floral nuances and sweet honey. Hay-like elements and fruity notes of apple and pear harmonise with an exotic coconut note. A splash of lemon frees the nose, while a surprising olive adds depth to the bouquet. Fresh and intense.
Palate
After an inspiring nose, the single malt impresses with its creamy texture, dry intensity and nutty charm. Salty accents in the throat complement the sweet vanilla, honeydew melon and delicate caramel flavour. A hint of white pepper with walnut on the palate completes the flavour experience.
Finish
The finish of the whisky is surprisingly long and intense, carried by fine fresh oak and a pot of white tea. You don't really get that kind of length and intensity from a pure bourbon cask bottling. The warming note is skilfully accompanied by an astringent character.
Verdicts
Marcel
A whisky that simply delights with its creamy texture and fruity notes – classic Oban through and through. For enthusiasts seeking something special, this cask strength release is definitely worth the journey, even if it just misses that final kick needed for 90+ points.
Sascha
The excellent balance between sweet vanilla, salty hints, and the unusually long oak finish reflects a well-considered cask selection, though it falls a bit short of expectations in complexity. For connoisseurs who appreciate structure and intensity, this Oban is a solid example of a well-matured bourbon cask.
What it is worth
We do not yet hold bottle-level auction results — that sits behind Whisky Hunter’s authenticated feed. What follows is the market for Oban as a whole, which sets the weather for this bottling without pricing it.
Latest mean bid £177 across 81 lots · 2024-08