Style: Fruity and Slightly Bitter
Nose:
A light mix of pears and green apples quickly covered by a layer of vanilla cream. Crystalized apricots nougats infused with oat biscuits and barley stacks. Caramel balanced by the freshness of green fruits.
Palate:
Sweet orchard fruits flowing in followed by a touch of honey mead. Apple skins, herbs, the bitterness makes an early show and locks up part of the expression. Caramelized/burnt liquorice (weird, right?), some apricot yoghurt and can pineapple. Barley leading the expression to the drier side, more vanilla towards the back.
Finish:
Faint but a decent level of fruit yogurt, coconut and nectarines remaining behind.
Thoughts:
Hmmmm, Oban in Game of Thrones, not sure what I should expect, but regardless what the marketing spin is, you always hope the juice inside is good. This is a reasonably young and fruity Oban, but a fraction of it is unfortunately shackled by some overcooked oak. Not good, not bad. Well, I suppose you can’t always have everything in this world, can you?
-Esmond
[43% | Original Bottling | Limited Edition | No Age Statement]