I enjoy going back to basic single malts from time to time, and I frankly think we do not drink basic, ‘ordinary’ malts enough, having access to many super-duper rare, whiskies and some extra-rare unicorn whiskies. Single cask whisky is awesome, but most people drink plain OBs which can be lovely too, right?
Deanston has been really improving in the last few years, with Distel as owner, better casks are being used, and it shows. A good example is this 12 year old Deanston which is their cheapest age statement bearing whisky, and widely available.
Trivia fact of the day : did you know that Deanston is the only distillery in Scotland that is self-sustaining for electricity, being equipped with a dam and a turbine .
Deanston 12 yo, 46.3% abv, £39
Nose: Nice and fresh with citrus peel, nice malty sweetness, cereals , some vanilla and toffee, and a touch of ginger powder and some sweet oak. Quite nice and lively.
Palate: Sweet fruit, with nice touches of wood : pears, vanilla, creamy sweetness with honey, and spices mostly ginger and a hint of clove, chocolate and some salted toffee which adds a nice twist. Quality ex-bourbon casks over here for sure. very nice.
Finish: Nice medium length with sweet oak wood, clove and wee pepper and wax.
Conclusion: Lovely stuff for an entry-level whisky. very nice Ex-Bourbon casks, quite complex for its age. good stuff for daily sipping. Deanston, FTW.
Why only 85?
85 is a very good score. it means this is a very good whisky, it’s what it is. it’s not on the verge of excellent, and for the price it offers very good VFM. 85 it is 😉