Oban Little Bay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Oban · Oban Distillery
Oban Little Bay uses small cask finishing to accelerate wood contact, but the result doesn't taste forced. This is still recognizably Oban — maritime, honeyed, balanced — with an added layer of spice complexity. The mineral quality from the distillery's famously hard water supply comes through clearly, making this a textbook example of place in a glass.
Nose
Sea salt and honey mingle with orange zest and a trace of peach. Beneath that, a gentle smokiness curls around malty sweetness and dried fruit.
Palate
Creamy and medium-bodied, with caramel and butterscotch at the fore. The coastal mineral note is unmistakable — a flinty, almost chalky quality that anchors sweeter tones of honey and vanilla. Light clove spice appears on the second sip.
Finish
Medium-length, with smoky malt fading into a clean, slightly briny close.
- Region
- West Highlands
- Cask Type
- Ex-bourbon and small cask finish
- Peat Level (PPM)
- Low (unpeated malt)
- Distillation
- Double distilled in small copper pot stills (the smallest in Scotland by some accounts)
- Maturation
- Aged in ex-bourbon and refill casks, finished in small 'Little Bay' casks
- Chill-Filtered
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Coastal Old Fashioned — 2 oz Oban Little Bay · 0.25 oz honey syrup · 2 dashes orange bitters · Stir over a large ice cube, express orange peel over surface, garnish with peel.
Food Pairing
Pan-seared scallops with brown butter and capers
Wedged between a cliff face and the harbor in the tiny West Highland town that shares its name, Oban Distillery has drawn its process water from Loch Gleann a'Bheàrna since 1794, producing whisky shaped by the hard, mineral-rich geology of the Scottish coast.
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