wsky1

Whisky investment intelligence

Investing in Oban

34 Oban expressions tracked across 438+ auction observations.

12-mo avg return

+3.9%

Median return

-8.6%

Volatility (±)

30.3%

Verdict

Stable, modest appreciation

Top performers (12 months)

Oban bottles with the largest year-over-year median price gains.

BottleCurrent median12mo agoChange
Oban The MacLeans Old Teddy£340£180+88.9%
Oban The MacLeans Young Teddy£530£340+55.9%
Oban 2007 Distillers Edition£75£55+36.4%
Oban 1980 Distillers Edition£140£110+27.3%
Oban 14 Year Old£50£40+25.0%
Oban 2005 Distillers Edition£65£55+18.2%
Oban 14 Year Old 200 Years Anniversary£80£75+6.7%
Oban 1985 Distillers Edition£110£108+2.3%

Blue-chip Oban

Highest median auction price — the established collectables.

Entry-level (under £150)

Affordable Oban expressions for first-time collectors — at least 3 auction observations to confirm market liquidity.

Cooled off (12 months)

Oban bottles that have softened — either fair-value entry points or bottles to avoid, depending on your thesis.

How wsky1 thinks about whisky investment

Past auction prices are the most defensible signal of a bottle's collectable value — but they are not a forecast. The data below comes from 438+ hammered lots across six major auction houses; none of it is curated or pay-for-placement.

Three rules-of-thumb a working collector should keep in mind:

  • Liquidity matters. A bottle that trades once a year cannot be priced reliably. Filter for ≥3 observations before you trust any "median" number.
  • Premium swings. Major auction houses charge 24–28% buyer's premium on top of hammer. Net return after both buy- and sell-side premium is roughly hammer × 0.78 ÷ paid × 1.26.
  • Concentrated risk. One bottle is a story; a 6-bottle portfolio across two or three distilleries is an asset class.

For a deeper view, the full Oban catalog with live prices lists every tracked expression with its full price history chart.

Track your Oban portfolio — free for 3 bottles

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