Oban

Oban distillery is located in the town of the same name in Argyll. The distillery started as a brewery in 1793 and the first official record of distillation on the same site dates from 1799. The founding family retained ownership of the distillery until 1866 when they sold it to a local businessman. That person sold it once again in 1883.

Oban spirit was a sought after tipple and, while the port of Oban itself was a thriving port, the spirit faced many difficulties reaching the centre of commerce in 19th century Scotland: The City of Glasgow. In 1988, a railway line was built and this life line ultimately saved the distillery from an uncertain future.

The distillery was sold again in 1898 but not before it was refurbished. The new owner, Alexander Edward, retained the distillery until 1930 when he sold it to whisky giants: Distillers Company Limited (DCL). There was talk about closing down the distillery in the 1960's. The idea made perfect sense for an industry that was expanding massively back then.

In 1979 the distillery released an official single malt. Ten years later, the distillery re-launched its whisky as a 14 year old, it was also included in Diageo's 'Classic Malts Collection'. It has a cult-like following in the US and is one of Scotland's most visited distilleries.

The style of whisky produced at Oban distillery is slightly salty (mineral), honeyed and has a hint of smoke. This is achieved by using very small pot stills, and maximising copper contact.

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