Oban, Scotland, June 11, 2025 – They say you can’t please everyone, but Oban, one of Scotland’s oldest and most beloved distilleries, took that as a challenge and has spent more than 200 years crafting an exceptional-tasting Scotch that manages to win over just about everyone. Now, the brand introduces Being This Likeable Isn’t Easy, a new campaign that highlights the care, intention, and dedicated craft involved with a final product that is so effortlessly likeable. With over two centuries of tradition and just seven pairs of hands behind every drop, Oban is launching this campaign to pull back the curtain in a reveal of what it truly takes to create a whisky that resonates with so many.
The Being This Likeable Isn’t Easy campaign was developed in partnership with Uncommon Creative Studio, who created visuals and a short film that highlight the great lengths to which Oban goes to bring smiles to the faces of whisky-lovers. Directed by Tom Speers from Smuggler, the video opens with the Oban Distillery Manager receiving mysterious correspondence - later revealed to be a social post from a man named Stevie who is new to whisky and unsure about Oban. This sparks a determined journey, dubbed the longest run, through Scotland’s picturesque Highland terrain, with the mission of hand-delivering a neat pour of Oban 14-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky to Stevie. Unsurprisingly, like most with the opportunity to taste Oban’s smooth, balanced, and naturally likeable flavor profile, Stevie loves it, summed up with a clear review: “That’s beautiful!” The short film was shot entirely in Oban’s homeland of the Western Highlands of Scotland, with many elements filmed at the historic distillery, blending the brand’s signature charm, humor and disciplined craft and representing the great lengths to which the Oban team goes to create a universally beloved liquid.
“Oban has long been a whisky that’s easy to enjoy, but making something this welcoming takes serious craft,” said Jesse Damashek, Senior Vice President of Whiskey at Diageo. “This campaign shows that likeability and simplicity are not mutually exclusive in the creation of Oban; to make a whisky this inviting, it takes time, effort, and precision. We take our easy appeal very seriously and know that it's due to the craft we’ve prioritized for over two centuries, rooted in the passion and community of the town we call home.”
Founded in 1794 and constrained in size due to the bustling town that grew up around us, Oban Distillery can never expand. Each drop is made by just seven distillers using original lantern-shaped stills and methods passed down through generations, producing a whisky that reflects the rugged charm and close-knit character of the town itself.
Today, Oban stands for both tradition and ingenuity. Its core marque, Oban 14-Year-Old, is often enjoyed neat or on the rocks, where its smoky yet delicate profile comes through with smoothness and balance. It also works beautifully in cocktails like the Oban Paper Plane, a modern, whisky-based twist on the classic Last Word cocktail that highlights Oban’s balanced, layered flavor. Whether a seasoned whisky connoisseur or new to the world of Single Malt Scotch Whisky, there's a way to enjoy Oban, that’s likeable for every palate. The coastal character of Oban also naturally complements the brininess found in oysters, making it a delicious pairing that offers an elevated yet approachable gateway into Scotch.
The Being This Likeable Isn’t Easy campaign will be promoted through social media, digital platforms, print, and online publications. Oban encourages those who are of legal drinking age to please drink responsibly. For more information about Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky and the distillery, visit Malts or follow us on Instagram at @obanwhisky. To try the full line from Oban including our beloved core whiskies and our limited-time innovations, visit ReserveBar.
ABOUT DIAGEO
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about DIAGEO, our people, our brands, and performance, visit Diageo's website.. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.
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