Oban 11 Year Old Special Release 2023 The Soul of Calypso

Part of the Special Releases 2023 ‘Spirited Xchange’ from Diageo, this is the Oban 11 Year Old Single Malt called ‘The Soul of Calypso’. This release was inspired by the merging of rhythms in the beating heart of Calypso and was finished in Caribbean Pot Still rum casks. The vibrant combination evokes unexpected tropical notes of sugar cane and mango, which build on Oban’s own clever fusion of the Highland and Island styles. It was bottled at cask strength.

    Nose:    A mild and fresh nose overall, rich in distillery character. The top notes are fresh and faintly maritime, suggesting a sea breeze, seaweed, warm dunes, and a hint of iodine; they are backed by lemon citrus and enhanced by sweet-spirited tropical traces of sugar cane and mango learned from the rum finishing casks.

    Taste:    An exceptionally smooth mouthfeel introduces a fruity and citrus sweet, lightly salty taste, again true to the distillery character, balanced here by an insistent yet never overpowering spiciness.

    Finish:    Quite short, finishing spicy and smoothly mouth cooling. A light, lingering, sweet aftertaste.