Oban Distillery

The distillery was founded in 1794 by brothers John and Hugh Stevenson, who built it on the site of an old brewery — making it older than the town that grew up around it. The Stevensons operated Oban for over 70 years before selling to Peter Curristie in 1866. Walter Higgin acquired and extensively rebuilt the distillery in 1883. Alexander Edward — who also owned Aultmore Distillery — purchased it in 1898, the same year the collapse of major blending company Pattisons of Leith caused significant industry losses.

Oban was sold to Dewars in 1923 and joined the Distillers Company alongside Dewars in 1925. Like many Scottish distilleries, it fell silent twice during the 20th century: from 1931 to 1937, and again from 1969 to 1972 when a new still house was constructed. Diageo's predecessor installed a new visitor centre in 1989. The Oban 14 Year Old was included in Diageo's Classic Malts of Scotland when the range launched in 1988, bringing the distillery international recognition. In December 2014, the Little Bay expression was introduced.

Oban operates with just one wash still and one spirit still, making it one of Scotland's smallest distillery operations by still count. Annual capacity is approximately 670,000 litres — a tiny fraction of a large industrial distillery. Water is sourced from two lochs in Ardconnel above the town. The constrained footprint, wedged between the harbour front and a cliff face, means no expansion has ever been possible. Maturation takes place in warehouses away from the production site.

Oban sits at "the frontier between the West Highlands and the Islands," as the official description captures it — the style falls between dry, smoky Island malts and the lighter, sweeter Highland expressions. The character is fresh and spicy with a distinctive coastal salinity, gently maritime without the full peatiness of an Islay malt. Oban 14 Year Old offers the classic profile: fruity and malty with dried fruit and a light sea-coast character. Oban Little Bay (NAS, small-cask maturation) is richer and more vibrant, with dried apple, caramel, honey, allspice, citrus, and browned butter. Oban Distiller's Edition is finished in Montilla Fino sherry cask, adding a softly sweet sherried dimension.

Tours are available with advance booking recommended, from Oban town centre (five minutes from the railway station). The visitor centre includes a retail store (10:00–17:00 daily), bar (10:00–16:00/17:00/18:00 depending on season), tasting experiences, and a "bottle your own" option. Children under 8 are not permitted on tours; assistance dogs welcome; other dogs allowed in the shop and bar only. Online shop available through malts.com/en-gb/oban/oban-shop. Physical retail store and bar on site. Address: Oban Distillery, Stafford Street, Oban, Argyll PA34 5NH. Contact: 01631 572004. Approximately 2.5 hours from Glasgow and 3 hours from Edinburgh.