Oban Distillery
Stafford St,Oban
Argyll PA34 5NH
+44 1631 572 004
Owner: Diageo
Creation year: 1794
The Oban distillery is settled in the very heart of the charming harbour town of the same name, facing the Isle of Mull. It has been build in 1794 by the Stevenson brothers, Hugh, John and James. The Stevenson family also founded the city of Oban.
In 1866, the distillery become property of Peter Cumstie, who sold it to Walter Higgin in 1883. The latter modernised the distillery.
He decided to hollow out the rocks near the distillery to make new warehouses, but the works were stopped after an archaeological discovery, notably human remains dating 4500 years BC. This remains are exposed in the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh.
The distillery has been acquired by the owner of Aultmore distillery to create the group Oban and Aultmore-Glenlivet Ltd was.
The Dewar's group became owner in 1823. In 1930, the Dewar's group was incorporated in SMD which is nowadays part of UDV, the current owner of the distillery
Oban has been mothballed from 1931 to 1937, during World War II and from 1969 to 1972.
Most of the ferries going to the Hebrides islands start from Oban. Its single malt became famous thanks to the Classic Malts collection launched in 1988, but the major part of the production is used in blends, among others Bell's.