Oban Little Bay vs Talisker Storm: Discover the Better!

Discover the differences between Oban Little Bay vs Talisker Storm in this in-depth comparison and decide which Single Malt is better for You!

Oban Little Bay

Nose	Pear, honey, ripe fruit
Palate	Orange, chocolate, peat, pepper
Finish	Bitter chocolate, leather, smoke
Alcohol content	86 proof (43% ABV)
How to drink	Add water
Similar to	Oban 14

The nose is rich in pear, along notes of honey and ripe guava and fig.

On the palate, Little Bay feels viscous providing a pleasant mouthfeel. Flavor offers orange and bitter chocolate at first, followed by a subtle peaty note, along some alcohol warmth but nothing severe, and a touch of pepper.

The finish has a solid length, leaving an aftertaste of old leather, bitter chocolate and a subtle note of smoke.

Adding water releases some sweetness and a tad of oak.

Oban Little Bay feels a bit warmer than Oban 14, while providing more smoke but still quite moderate when compared to smoke-bombs like Ardbeg and Laphroaig.

It also displays a more robust flavor profile providing a more tasty dram.

Oban means “Little Bay” in Gaelic, so this is Little Bay Little Bay making the dumbest name for a whisky.

There are a few facts worth knowing about Oban Little Bay:

• Little Bay has no age statement.

• Aged using refill barrels with new oak ends, European oak and refill hogsheads.

• The blend is later transferred to finish aging in small casks allowing for more contact with the oak.

• Oban is one of Scotland’s smallest distilleries as it only has 2 pot stills. This stills are among the smallest in the industry, and limit Oban’s production to just 650,000 liters of whisky annually.

Talisker Storm

Nose	Peat, smoke, citrus
Palate	Peat, charred oak, earth, salt, caramel
Finish	Medium length, smoke, pepper
Alcohol content	92 proof (45.8% ABV)
How to drink	Add water
Similar to	Talisker 10

Storm slaps your nose with heavy peat and smoke, followed by hints of orange peel.

On the palate, Storm provides a heavy peaty note, along charred barrel at first, followed by earthy, mineral notes and a rich caramel note.

Finish is pleasantly rough, full of smoke and a peppery blast.

This whisky is a smokier, peatier and more mineral version the Talisker 10 YO but not nearly as intimidating as it might sound.

It’s a bit wild and unrefined but if you are fond of peat, charred oak and peppery notes this release from Talisker definitely has a place in your collection.

Definitely not the easiest sipper on the planet as it demands a determined whisky aficionado with a penchant for smoke and oak char.

Learn how it compares to other releases from this brand reading my post Discover the Best Talisker!

There are a few facts worth knowing about the Talisker Storm:

• This whisky does not carry an age statement as it is a blend of of both rejuvenated and refill casks of different ages.

• Was named the 2013 Highlands Single Malt of the Year by the Whisky Advocate.

• Talisker distillery, founded in 1830, is based in Carbost, Scotland on the Minguish Peninsula on the Isle of Skye.

Little Bay vs Storm: Price comparison

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Whisky	Price
Oban Little Bay	$77
Talisker Storm	$61

Oban Little Bay vs Talisker Storm: Which is better?

Oban is an easier drinker

Whiskey	Oban 14	Talisker Storm
Nose	✅	✅
Body	✅	✅
Palate	✅
Finish	✅
Value		✅

• Little Bay and Storm are smokier and tastier than the Oban 14 and Talisker 10, respectively.

• Little Bay is an easier drinker as smoke is still restrained letting you appreciate other tasting notes.

• Storm hits you with peat, smoke and oak char making it a whisky for a very specific type of aficionado.

• This makes Little Bay a safer bet.

What do Oban and Talisker have in common?

Both belong to London-based Diageo

Oban and Talisker are part of Diageo’s impressive portfolio that includes 200+ brands including household names such as Johnnie Walker, Don Julio Tequila, Casamigos, Bulleit.

Both brands contribute with malts to Johnnie Walker’s blends.