Whisky Review: Oban 14 years Single Malt

Steve McQueen starring in Bullitt (1968)

"The best scene in Bullitt isn't the car chase scene," Keith advised as he puffed his Bolivar.

We are in Odell Park, quietly breaking the law among the stately elm trees, duck pond over yonder, and cooing Mourning Doves.  The local politicos had recently passed anti-smoking legislation that even applied to public spaces like park benches.  I mean, what has the world come to when two middle aged guys, let alone somebody's grandfather, can't smoke a cigar in the afternoon sunshine on a park bench without risking a fine?  Ah, the limousine liberals have truly taken over.

I was taken aback by Keith's assertion.  The riveting car chase scene between the dueling '68 Ford Mustang GT fastback and the '68 Dodge Charger R/T was what I considered to be the best scene in the film, and probably the greatest car chase scene of all time (McQueen did his own driving too, no stunt drivers needed).

"The genius of Steve McQueen was that he didn't waste dialogue.  He could convey displeasure with an iceberg stare or a few stark words."  My friend tapped his Cuban and contentedly watched some kids, on the other side of the duck pond, playing on the swings while their moms stared at their hands, which cradled their other precious extension of their being: a smartphone.

I thought about this.  Unlike McQueen, too many actors, then and now, overuse dialogue to try and convey feeling and tell a story.  I mean some thespians just don't shut up.  Benedict Cumberbatch, James Woods, Ed Norton and Robert Downey Jr. gotta cram into every scene as much witty/cute/pseudo-intellectual banter as possible.  Granted, screenwriters are a huge part of the problem, but actors could demand a leaner script.  They could push back if everyone was not so damn polite.

Keith elaborates on this motif:  "About 35 minutes into Bullitt, McQueen's character, Frank Bullitt (a San Francisco police lieutenant) and Robert Vaughn's character Walter Chambers (a sleazy politician/lawyer) are talking in a hospital.  Chambers is corrupt.  Bullitt is not and doesn't yield to the sludge Chambers represents with a simple parting shot:

  You work your side of the street and I'll work mine."

 "Le Mans," I said nodding approvingly.  Clouds, like cotton batting carelessly strewn by the Almighty, had moved in and threatened to interfere with my sunny afternoon.

"Exactly!" exclaimed Keith.  His choice of camo cargo shorts and novelty print t-shirt no longer seemed appropriate with the wind picking up and the sun obscured by drifting cumulus.  I was in a crumpled nazy pinstripe suit and a white button-down with a slackened rep tie.  I went to lunch with Keith and never went back to work, like a stockbroker learning of a market crash over noon hour, who decides to duck the inevitable wave of angry client calls.

My Ramon Allones had an immaculate ash with a perfect draw.  Staring at the swirling smoke it emitted made me more contemplative.  I added, "There is a scene where a horde of reporters question a woman, who lost her husband in a night time crash during the 24 hour race of Le Mans the year before.  She, Lisa, is confused and troubled and the reporters continue to try to interrogate her while photographers snap away at her vulnerability.  McQueen's character, Michael Delaney, sees this and helps her into a waiting Citroen.  Turning back to face the crush of reporters, one of them asks if the accident he has just been in can be compared to the accident of the year before that killed Lisa's husband.  The question is cruel, uncalled-for, a punch-in-the-gut, but Delaney stares down the journalist and then simply walks away when you were sure he was gonna punch him or at least tell the newspaper cretin off."

Steve McQueen starring and staring in Le Mans (1971)

I thought about cold stares and how they communicate so much.  In fact, one of the moms was staring our way from across the pond, replete with lilies and a couple mallards.  Keith looked her way and smiled.  Sometimes I think the guy registers somewhere on the Aspergers scale.

"I know the scene."

"What whisky would be McQueen worthy?" I ask as the ash on my cigar tumbles unceremoniously into my lap.

"It would have to be a whisky that does not need or seek any external validation."

"Kinda like Frank Bullitt or Michael Delaney in Le Mans."

"Yeah."

"Can't be a blend.  They are all trying to be somebody's friend."

"Yes, has to be a single malt that is uncompromising, unimpressed and not trendy."

"That rules out Highland Park and definitely those over-the-top show off releases from Bruidladdich and Ardbeg.  Glenmorangies would be too pretty, friendly and a tad foppish with their endearing 'finishes.'  It has to be a malt that just doesn't care about trends.  A resolute malt."

"Oban?"

"Yes, absolutely."

Category
Single Malt Scotch whisky

Distillery
Oban

Age Statement
14 years.

Closure
Cork stopper.

ABV
43%

Nose (undiluted)
Fine sherry, Cabernet Sauvignon, orange blossoms, slight smoke, maybe some roses in the distance.

Palate (undiluted)
Smooth, firm, sweet arrival of red grape tannins that make me thing of a very fine and vibrant Merlot or easy Cab.  A warmth spreads through out the body from the first sip.  Rhubarb pie, with a sprinkle of dill, anise and orange chocolate.  There is a mineral note.

Finish (undiluted)
Drying sandalwood, fieldstone and saddle leather accented by malt, orange rinds, hint of peat with wisps of creamy cigar smoke.

"The minimalism of the flavor profile is easily overlooked as not being complex."

"The complexity is in the the hidden and restrained notes."

"Or rather the complexity is the lack of complexity."

Keith and I were in Zen-like or at the very least a Yoda-like state of bliss, in spite of the fast developing overcast sky.

Our reverie was interrupted by one of the doting moms striding towards us in dark purple Lululemon that was immaculate in form and fit.  Probably never been dampened by sweat, other than that of the child labor used to sew it in the first place.  When she arrived, Keith's smile evaporated.  She looked us up and down, pausing to read Keith's t-shirt: "Let's drink and make bad choices."

"I am reporting both of you for smoking to the park warden's office,"  she fumed, as she pointed her iPhone at us with toned arm extended, like a cop flashing his badge, and started recording.  "Please state your names."

Just then, the clouds parted a little, and the sun shined down upon us, and we replied:

"Frank Bullitt."

"Michael Delaney."

New Brunswick Spirits Festival 2011

The appreciation of whisky does not have to be a solitary experience with a Glencairn glass or a tumbler at night in your book lined study.  Whisky can be paired with food and enjoyed with a crowd, resulting in a most pleasing experience.  The trick of course is to make the right food pairing.

The 2011 New Brunswick Spirits Festival started for me with a dinner on a Wednesday evening at the Fredericton Delta Hotel.  The hotel chef worked with whisky critic, Martine Nouet, to bring to life the recipes she sent him from Islay (her current home).  It was at times frustrating for the chef who strained to decipher the peculiar recipes supplied by Martine and revised via long distance phone calls in her heavily accented English.  The chef's frustration though was well worth the price of admission.   Read the menu pictured above by clicking on it.  The food and the whisky was fantastic!

Initially, I was thinking to myself that this meal is very expensive and I cannot fully appreciate the whiskies because of the food.  I was getting too caught up in the feeling that I was missing some profound nuance of the whiskies being featured.  I was brought back to earth by an astute observation from a friend (pictured above on the right) who pointed out that a whisky dinner and the festival for that matter are more about mixing with people than the whisky itself.  Of course the whisky is a focal point, but it's not the only one.  Just as people make a workplace great or not, so do people at an event like the N.B. Spirits Festival.  So, should one engage in the cold cost benefit analysis whereby one thinks "for that amount of money I could have had a couple of great bottles added to my collection?"  No!  Banish such thoughts from your malted mind.  Whisky festivals are, first and foremost, about people.

Pictured above were some fellow scotch nuts that I hung out with at the event.  We tried a number of scotch whiskies.  Some great and some not so great.

Highland Park 21 years
A very good malt that was quite powerful.  Wood spice, cardamon, leather and dark cherry.  A little sip goes a very long way.  A finish that went on for minutes.  Wow!  The only aspect of this single malt that none of us enjoyed was the price: $280 a bottle!

The Macallan 18 years Sherry Oak
Some whisky festival participants use the event as an opportunity to try new whiskies that they have never had before.  Me?  Not necessarily so.  I always make an exception for the Macallan 18 years Sherry Oak.  On this evening it was a little underwhelming.  I found it too smooth, and not terribly complex, as it should be given the price point.  Nevertheless, it disappeared from my glass mighty quick.  The Macallan 18 years has lately been less complex than I recall in years passed.  Accordingly, as much as this whisky has a special place in my heart, I am only buying it when on sale at a steep discount.

Ardmore Traditional Cask
Ardmore, as you probably know, is one of the core single malts composing the great economy blended scotch: Teacher's Highland Cream.  I like Teacher's a lot.  Unfortunately, the motley crew I was hanging with were less impressed.  They're just wrong.  In any case, I thought it would be fun to try the single malt, Ardmore, and it did not disappoint.  A malty, chocolate-like whisky that did not let us down.  Maybe a little smoother than expected and not overly complex, but at the price point of $41 I was not complaining.  I would not hesitate to buy this one.  If you like Teacher's, you will love Ardmore.

Oban Distiller's Edition
This malt was good, but the consensus amongst the posse I was riding with was that the standard bottling of Oban was better.  The experience brings to mind the consistent opinion I hold on all 'distiller's edition" regardless of the distillery:  Don't think for a second that a distiller's edition is necessarily better than a standard bottling.  It is just different.  Not better.  Just different.  Try to remember that when you have this or any DE in your hand and weighing the decision of whether or not to plunk down the extra money.  Our observations of a Talisker Distiller's edition were the same too.

Glendronach 15 year old Revival
We tasted a few other whiskies that were not so good, but we were all very impressed and surprised by GlenDronach 15 years.  A concentrated punch of juicy red fruits and berries, sherry, toffee and wood smoke.  We all really liked this one, placing it second to Highland Park 21.  Go buy the GlenDronach 15 if you like a sherried whisky.  Tastes much older than 15 years.  Probably the best whisky of its class and even the 18 year olds this year!  Highly recommended!

Conclusion
What I took away from the evening is this:  whiskies over 18 years are not necessarily better.  Just different.  Same goes for Distiller's Editions.  Matter of fact, human nature being what it is, we generally prefer familiarity (ie. standard bottlings of say Talisker or Oban) as opposed to exotic distiller's editions.  They tend to be a little out of balance (ie. over-oaked or too much of another taste depending on what the spirit was finished in).  As the Master Blender attempts to make something great, he also runs the risk of over-doing it.  And Finally:  Good friends sharing a dram with you make any bad dram you encounter, not so bad after all!

Cheers!


Jason Debly

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2011. All rights reserved. Any and all use is prohibited without permission.

Review: Oban 14 year Old - Single Malt Scotch Review

A tiny town . . .
. . . is Oban where Gaelic is still spoken by some of the residents in the course of their day. The population is a little over eight thousand but swells in the summer to around twenty five thousand, as it is a favorite coastal tourist resort.

Lots goes on in the little town from the soccer games to "shinty," a field hockey sort of a game played with wooden stick and ball. But for us, we are interested in this little Scottish town because of the distillery, founded in 1794, bearing the same name.

Oban Distillery
The Oban distillery was established by John and Hugh Stephenson. It changed hands many times over the years, built, taken apart, rebuilt, financial troubles, prosperous times, and lots of drama. But, that is not our concern. We care about the magic spirit that is produced by this seaside distillery in a horseshoe bay.

Oban is Expensive
The chief reason for the high price is due to a limited natural water supply that has been negotiated with the local government. The water, of course, imparts the unique flavors of this single malt scotch and gives it dignity.

Multiple Expressions
The most available expression is the 14 year old, but there are three others: Distiller's Edition; 18 year old and a 32 year old. The latter two bottlings are very difficult to obtain. I have not tried the 18 or 32 year old, and so this tasting note is limited to the 14 yr old. And now let's move on to the main event.

Nose (undiluted)
Malty, smoke, citrus, and Florida oranges. Very refined.

Palate (undiluted)
This is big bodied, very malty, single malt scotch. Upon entry it warms the mouth with lots of cereal and malt flavors. Other flavors slowly emerge a little from the background, but more subtle. Flavors like anise, orange chocolate and lemon zest waltz across the palate in a sensuous and careful fashion.

Finish (undiluted)
Swallow this and you will be left with flavors of Grampy's big cigar smoke, more of that malt, glazed brown sugar, chaperoned by soft, slight wafts of peat. The lingering smoke, malt and teensy weensy bit of peat couple to produce a semi-sweet tang offspring. As much as I like the inital and mid-palate flavors, I really look forward to the subdued smokey-malt/peat finish. I also enjoy the lack of over-the-top sherry notes in the flavor presentation. I find lately that too many single malts rely to heavily on sherry casks for aging and the result is an over sherried spirit. Oban is a refreshing departure from the hackneyed practice of overly sherry imbued scotch.

What happens if we add a little water?
Some single malt scotches do not benefit from the addition of water, while others flourish, revealing greater complexity of flavor, and generally sing like a chickadee. Oban is one of the latter such single malts.

Palate (diluted)
To one standard shot, I added half a teaspoon. The water makes the scotch more creamy. The smoke and malt are still there, but now I am picking up milk chocolate shavings, peanut brittle, more pronounced honey and a little heather.

Finish (diluted)
After swallowing, the palate is left with rich cigar smoke, brown sugar and that malty flavor that only a great single malt can deliver. The last impression upon the palate is heavy malt with pepper. More peppery finish with the addition of water.

General Impressions
I am very fond of this single malt scotch. It is very malty, chased by brown sugar, Cuban cigar smoke and a little, very little peat. If consumed neat, I am surprised by the delicate citrus flavors hidden in the background. Well done! While medium bodied and not overly complex (if drank neat) in terms of how the various flavors are weaved together, this is definitely a repeat purchase. Balanced! I really cannot criticize this single malt.

Sometimes I can get in a little bit of a rut with my scotch choices. Generally, I like big bodied, dark caramel and cinammon toast flavor profiles. Trouble is, they can get boring. Oban 14 falls within that category, but is not boring. It has a heavy malt taste with smoke and orange rind that is simply great. It is a superb starter whisky for the single malt newbie, yet very pleasing to the veteran like me who seeks variety on a classic flavor profile.

There are only two possible criticisms of this single malt. First, consumed neat, the flavor profile is not what one would consider "complex." There may be the odd connoiseur who demands greater complexity for the price point charged. I do not regard the lack of high level complexity as a flaw. The flavors are held in such a balanced fashion that it is very enjoyable and pleasing. Besides, if you want more complexity, just add a little water.

The second criticism that could be leveled relates to the price charged. Sometimes deals can be had for this single malt, but they are far and few between. If you see it in the $40's buy as much as you can. Unfortunately, much of it is sold at $60 and above in the United States. In Canada, its close to $90. I will admit the price is heavy and if "value for money" is an important consideration when buying scotch, this may be a reason not to by Oban 14 years.

In any case, I like this and will certainly buy it again! I am still thinking about that initial malty flavor that transitions to orange chocolate and from there becomes smokey and ends with that sweet tang finish! Damn! This is good!

Cheers!

© Jason Debly, 2009-2012 All rights reserved.