New Release: Oban "Little Bay" for Duty Free

There were a few things that caught my attention, but this is a precious official release from Oban. Oban OBAN OB 'LITTLE BAY' for Duty Free 43% SMALL CASK The aroma has a slightly young and strong barley with hints of toasty, orange, vanilla, light honey, some raw wood, and over time it develops into milk tea. The mouthfeel is smooth with a gentle sweetness of orange and honey, some raw wood-like bitterness, and a light finish. 【Good】 This is a no-age statement bottle released for duty free, named 'Little Bay'. It mentions that it was aged in small casks, which have a large surface area of contact with the spirit and are said to mature more quickly than usual. This might be the first time I've tasted a small cask aging from Diageo's distilleries. It seems like a bourbon-style small cask, and although it is a no-age statement with young spirit, there was not much of an immature feel. It had some aged character in its aroma. However, despite being diluted, there was a slightly raw wood-like nuance that caught my attention. I can only speculate, but it might be the result of quickly extracting cask components through small cask aging, bringing out some accompanying elements. Having a sense of maturity rather than being monotonous is an important factor in enjoying whiskey, so this could be considered a correct direction in its production.