Oban Distillery announces final release in The MacLeans Series: Grandson Derek.
Oban’s latest Macleans Series release: Grandson Derek
Released as a distillery exclusive bottling, Grandson Derek will be available from 27th October 2024.
Oban’s Macleans Series has once again been crafted to celebrate the expertise and dedication of three generations of distillers from the MacLean family at the Oban Distillery. 2019 saw the inaugural release of the series, fondly named Old Teddy, this was a bottle to honour the family’s first-generation Master Distiller. Young Teddy was released last year, inspired by his son, Teddy MacLean who followed in his father’s footsteps. The final release, in this coveted series, Grandson Derek, honours a family who have been integral to the Oban distillery for over seventy years.
3rd Generation Oban Distiller, Derek Maclean
Third-generation Oban distiller, Derek MacLean says:
“Both my family’s and Oban’s stories have been intertwined for years and this bottling encapsulates our shared history. It’s a testament to my family’s pursuit for perfection and dedication to crafting a whisky that is incredibly special to us all. This final, special edition celebrates our family’s passion for preserving the exceptional quality of Oban, passing it on from generation to generation, a true gift to our distillery fans, that can be enjoyed with their families, as we have done for many years in ours.”
Oban’s signature distillery character, which is delicate yet rich and fruity, explores new avenues of flavour. Its mellow, faintly floral nose is superseded by maritime scents of salt crystal and sea breeze. After a mild nose, its surprisingly powerful first impression of hot, peppery spiciness becomes approachable, whilst the intensity remains part of the flavour.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Clear 18 ct gold. Excellent beading and good legs.
Nose: Mellow and nose-drying. The initial top notes are fruity and faintly floral, suggesting hyacinths, but are soon supplanted by maritime scents of salt crystal and sea breeze, with a suggestion of fresh linen. These aromas drift away if a drop of water is added, leaving no clue of the storm to come.
Body: Medium to full.
Palate: A creamy-smooth texture leads to a taste that is quite sweet initially. After the mild nose, it is surprisingly powerful, as a hot, peppery spiciness with an attractive salty edge roars through the sweetness. It's approachable neat, as the spicy intensity remains part of the flavour without dominating it, yet more easy-going with water, which maintains the sweet-spicy balance while reducing the sheer power of the spiciness.
Finish: Long, hot n’ spicy and lightly drying, the peppery heat of the spice still clear.
RRSP: £210
ABV: 52.3%
No. of bottles: 4,662
About Oban
Oban, Gaelic for Little Bay, is a town that celebrates the beauty of small things. Oban Distillery was built in 1794 by local entrepreneurs, the Stevenson brothers. The distillery is nestled between ancient cliffs and the sea, and the town of Oban developed around it, preventing any significant expansion for the past two hundred years. The Oban Distillery distils in tiny lantern-shaped copper pot stills that are among the smallest in Scotland, and still uses traditional worm tubs that impart a unique distillery character.
