Life in the Atomic Age

Tonight’s selection is Oban 14 year old, from the western highlands region. The Oban distillery is located in the harbor town of the same name. The color is a nice, deep amber. The nose is very pleasant, with a subtle spiciness and smokiness. Some criticize this whisky for a lack of body, but I find it an excellent “restorative”. Not too aggressive, a nice smoky finish with no bitterness, and hints of citrus. It is slightly acidic, but not unattractively so. A very good whisky for beginners - complexity of a good single malt, but none of the aggressive peatiness or medicinal flavors that are found in some of the other seaside whiskys.

Tonight’s selection is Caol Ila - a single malt from Islay. It has an amber color, a pungent aroma, and an almost medicinal flavor. It’s a true island malt. Very robust and peaty, even when broken with a bit of cold spring water. The flavors are complex and a bit intimidating for the novice Scotch enthusiast.