The Oban whiskey distillery, built by the brothers Hugh and John Stevenson, sits at the portal between the West Highland and the Hebrides, a place known for its temperate climate and rugged beauty. The water flows in from a hole three kilometers away. The barley travels from Speyside. The distillery came first and a city was built around it.
The special thing about the Oban whiskeys is the peaty character and the subtle sea salt aroma. The long fermentation process, the small size of the copper still and the use of wooden condensation loops ("worm tubs") in the open air ensure that the Oban brand has a certain recognition value.