Oban Distillery

Despite not being able to tour the distillery due to current restrictions we enjoyed an informative and amusing talk from Jimmy, along with 4 samples,and glasses, to take home and taste.
There were just 4 people present, tables were very well spaced and lots of Covid precautions, including temperature check. Don’t hesitate to visit, and if you decide to buy a bottle you do get a discount.
Non-drinkers get a discounted ticket at £6, otherwise it’s £17, but actually it was worth it, as one of the whiskies you get to taste retails at £100 per bottle!

Our foursome was very fortunate to be able to be part of the last tour of Oban Distillery on 16 March 2020 before COVID-19 temporarily shut them down. We were two Americans and two Brits who had flown to Edinburgh, rented a car, and then took a scenic drive in the Scottish Highlands from Loch Lomond to Oban to Glencoe to Stirling over three days and two nights. As a whisk(e)y connoisseur, I was particularly excited about visiting Oban. Our tour guide Gus did a masterful job of educating us on whisky and the distillery's craft, all the while being engaging, entertaining, and very pleasant. The lobby gift shop is wonderful, the second floor bar an amazing place to enjoy your tipple, and the entire experience was first-rate. Gus made us feel welcome and couldn't have been a finer guide.

This was the last distillery we have visited on our trip around the west coast of Scotland. Oban is one I have wanted to visit for a long time and was delighted to see it would be open for our visit to this nice little seaside town.

Good points
They have passed on the VAT reduction to the customer, so our £20 each tasting cost £17.50 each.

You get 4 good measure drams of the 14yr old, distillers edition, little bay and a distillery exclusive. For the price this is a really good range of drams.

The tasting room was well set out and provided a nice atmosphere for sampling single malt, in a safe environment.

Gus did a good job of describing the production of the whisky.

£5 discount and free glass on any bottle purchased on the tasting.

Bad points
The whole experience took less than 30 minutes. I understand in Covid19 times they have to deep clean between tastings, however with not being able to do a tour I think they should make a bit more of an effort on the tasting. The guide could have taken more feedback from guests and allowed more time for questions. (Obviously this is not the guide’s fault, he will be following company instruction and timing)

Sadly Gus gave no instruction on nosing a whisky, which is key to unlocking the flavours of a good malt. Unfortunately there was a slightly patronising remark about ladies not being able to drink whisky, let me assure you I know plenty of ladies who can appreciate a good dram, especially my wife!

There seemed to be an over emphasis on trying to sell you a bottle, rather than giving some further in depth details behind the distillery and it’s history.

Overall it was a good experience, and of course COVID has had a massive impact on what they can do. However just allow a little more time to
Savour the drams and enjoy the experience would’ve made this a higher rated review.

Please try to consider the more diehard whisky fans and offer a slightly more in depth and exclusive experience for them.

We visited the Oban distillery this week whilst visiting Scotland for a few days and 100% recommended booking an experience here!
We booked the Cask Signature Experience and was greeted by Mike on arrival.
Mike was brilliant in explaining the whole journey of how Oban whiskey is made, showing his depth of knowledge of the process, there was no question he could not answer!
After enjoying a drop of 14 year aged Oban, we then got to try a sample straight from a cask, as well as leaving with our own Oban whiskey glass each.
Thanks Mike for a great tour! We will be back when we visit Oban again.

This mini taste-tour was a delight from start to finish.
With the distillery very much at the centre of beautiful Oban there's not far to travel to get to the front door.
Once there you'll be greeted like an old friend and safely conveyed inside and upstairs for the tastings and talk-through.
We were looked after by Kerry and Mike who gave a very entertaining presentation and tasting notes on the 4 whiskies on the staves in front of us.
The whisky is incredible and the opportunity to purchase a bottle or two at a discounted price is the icing on the cake. It's also one of those tours where you walk out feeling like a bit of an expert.
Highly recommended and I look forward to getting back there one day.

At the hight of all the COVID measures, the team at Oban have done an amazing job in bringing to the front a tasting experience to fill the void when tours are still not possible. Utilising their charasmatic tour guides, to deliver the whiskies story, each imparting their own personal twist and humour is just the treat for stepping away from the pandemic blues. For 40 minutes we were treated to stories and anecdotes, while sipping away on some of the finest drams the distillery has to offer. And as for Covid measures. Well the team at Oban strived to deliver what is asked, make you feel safe, but most of all make you also feel relaxed and able to enjoy the experience. Loved it.

Mike was absolutely brillant from start to finish making you feel ‘at home’ with many laughs in between. He also took loads safety precautions including sanitising his hands in every single room whilst keeping his distance but still making it feel personal. During the tour you get three tastes AND a free whiskey glass which is fantastic ‘bang for your buck’. Mike truly made this experience so fantastic as he has a natural talent for reading people and even gave us all nicknames. His passion and knowledge shone through with every word which made the whole experience a genuine 11/10. Couldn’t recommend this more!!!

We booked a tasting tour and weren’t disappointed. You are provided with four whiskies. The 14 year old, the Distillers Edition, little Bay and Oban Distillery Only Bottling.
Jim, our guide was extremely knowledgeable and guided us through the whisky making process and the differences with each whisky, flavours and casks. We were also surprised when gifted with a sample glass to take away with us.

The tables were well spaced apart due to Covid and hand sanitizer is provided throughout the building.

We watched Gordon, Gino and Fred before our visit so were excited to sample the 14 year old which featured on the program. It turned out this was our favourite so purchased a bottle. Everyone was offered £5 off which was another little surprise.

I did the whiskey tasting, which was guided by Gordon. He was great in narrating the tasting as well as providing tangential info that I enjoyed. Also the lady who greeted and the gentleman from Edinburgh working in the store were awesome. Unfortunately there must have been a staff change between when the tour started and going back to the store to make purchases. Firstly had to wait ages to go in (ok because it’s Covid precautions). However it was very painful because the folks in front of me took 30 min to shop in a very small store. Ok, so I actually then make it in and try to make a pretty decent purchase. I have to say that the lady checking out did not make this easy. Maybe it’s because I have a North American accent? It was frustrating enough that I almost gave up except that I know it’s hard to find this whiskey where I’m from.

We arrived at the distillery without a reservation but the door staff were excellent in asking if we would care to join the final tasting and tutoring of the day as there were a couple of spaces left. We quickly joined the group and were presented with 4 very generous measures of different Oban Whiskies. The gentleman leading the tasting was very informative and entertaining. We were particularly impressed as were were each given 4 small labelled bottles to take away any remaining whisky. This is most helpful when driving. Thank you to all the Oban team who were extremely accommodating.