PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Oban is one of Scotland’s smallest distilleries, tucked into the harbor town of Oban on the west coast of the Highlands, with a name that comes from the Gaelic for “little bay,” which is where Little Bay gets its name. The distillery’s usual style sits between the Highlands and the islands: a rich, fruity malt with a touch of coastal salinity and gentle smoke. Little Bay, which launched in 2015, adds a twist in the form of small-cask maturation. The whisky is married in the smallest casks available at the distillery, 200-liter barrels, which “create a richer, more concentrated spirit” with more wood contact than a standard cask.
The result is a no-age-statement malt, at 43% ABV (86 proof), with an unusually dense, oily, nutty character. The official notes describe an “antique gold” whisky with a nose that is “oily, waxy and nutty, balanced by ripe orchard fruits,” with “notes of almond fruit cake on denser Christmas pudding, with cereal and orange behind.” The palate has “the comforting chewiness of rich fruit-bread, hints of orange zest and clove, growing drier still, minty, with crisp green apple,” and the finish is “long, quite syrupy at first, then drying, with elegant coating tannins rich in dark chocolate character.” Distiller’s notes sum up the balance: “Little Bay’s warming richness is neatly balanced by a smoky, spicy dryness.”
The awards are strong. The Ultimate Spirits Challenge scored it 95 points in 2020: “Classic aromas of brioche, rain-dappled slate, and cedar erupt from the glass. But the first sip answers any and all questions: This is a timeless expression of scotch, with subtle smokiness, toasted wheat, and honeysuckle, built over a medium-body mouthfeel that hugs the palate.” It also won a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2016 and scored 96 points from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge that year. Wine Enthusiast described it as complex and evocative, with “stone fruit, spice, and honey.”
For balance, here’s the candid view: Dramface scored it 6 out of 10, noting that at 43%, with chill filtration and added colour, it had low expectations, then was “a rather pleasant surprise” with “a very nice mouthfeel” and “good flavour,” while feeling that it would be better at a higher strength. A customer-facing whisky blog found “ripe fruit, apple slice, almonds, and a general nutty scent with a hint of orange and toffee,” a “very long” finish, and “great for sipping neat” and in an Old Fashioned. It’s a good-value, mid-premium Highland malt for customers who like their Scotch rich, fruity, and lightly coastal rather than heavily peated, and a natural step up from the Oban 14 for anyone curious about small-cask finishing. Sip neat or with a single large cube.
Oban Little Bay Small Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky is produced at the Oban Distillery in Oban, in the Scottish West Highlands (Diageo). It is a no-age-statement single malt, married in the smallest casks available at the distillery, 200-liter ex-bourbon barrels, for a richer, more concentrated spirit. Bottled at 43% ABV / 86 proof, 750ml.
Ultimate Spirits Challenge — 95 Points (2020):
“Classic aromas of brioche, rain dappled slate, and cedar erupt from the glass. But the first sip answers any and all questions: This is a timeless expression of scotch, with subtle smokiness, toasted wheat, and honeysuckle, built over a medium-body mouthfeel that hugs the palate.”
Ultimate Spirits Challenge — 96 Points (2016) · San Francisco World Spirits Competition — Double Gold (2016)
Wine Enthusiast:
Described the whisky as complex and evocative, with notes of stone fruit, spice, and honey.
Dramface — 6/10:
“A rather pleasant surprise... Overlaying it all is a very nice mouthfeel... It has character, good flavour and, despite its 43% ABV, it has a good mouthfeel.” (Noted: chill filtered, added colour.)
Oban (official tasting notes):
“Appearance: Rich antique gold. Nose: Oily, waxy and nutty balanced by ripe orchard fruits. Notes of almond fruit cake on denser Christmas pudding with cereal and orange behind. Body: Medium to rich. Good viscosity. Palate: The comforting chewiness of rich fruit-bread, hints of orange zest and clove growing drier still, minty with crisp green apple. Finish: In a word, long. Quite syrupy at first then drying with elegant coating tannins rich in dark chocolate character.”
Nose
Rich antique gold. Oily, waxy, and nutty, with ripe orchard fruit, almond fruit cake, Christmas pudding, cereal, and orange; brioche and cedar.
Palate
Medium- to full-bodied and viscous, with rich fruit bread, orange zest, clove, and green apple, drying, with mint and subtle smoke.
Finish
Long, syrupy at first, then drying, with coating tannin and dark chocolate.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Small Cask |
| ABV / Proof | 43% ABV / 86 Proof |
| Age | No age statement |
| Maturation | Small casks (200-liter ex-bourbon barrels) |
| Distillery | Oban — Oban, Scottish West Highlands (Diageo) |
| Awards | 95 Points, Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2020 · 96 Points, USC 2016 · Double Gold, SFWSC 2016 |
| Style / Identity | A rich, oily, nutty, lightly smoky, coastal Highland malt |
| Aromas & Flavors | Brioche, orchard fruit, almond fruit cake, orange zest, clove, subtle smoke, dark chocolate |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Neat or with a single large cube — to taste the fruit bread and dark chocolate.
Old Fashioned — a rich, fruity base.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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