Name: Deanston 12-Year-Old Palo Cortado Finish
Color: Light Gold
Nose: Sweet, dry sherry, spice, honey wood, flowers
Taste: Sweet dry Spanish sherry, some wood, honey
Review:
The Deanston Distillery is located on the River Teith, about eight miles from Sterling, Scotland (near Edinburgh) and was founded in 1965. The Distell Group Limited owns Deanston and also owns Bunnahabhain, Isle of Islay, Tobermory, and Isle of Mull whisky. The name “Deanston” is named after the Dean of Dunblane. Dean was connected to the Gaelic term “toun” meaning farm/settlement to make the name “Deanston”.
My cousin, who lives in Sterling got me a sample pack of Deanston Scotch. Each bottle contains 3cl (1oz) samples from the distillery and Palo Cortado was the second sample I tasted.
Deanston Palo Cortado is a 12 years old whisky and finished in Palo Cortado Sherry Casks. This type of sherry is somewhere between an Amontillado (darker sherry from Montilla Region of Spain) and Oloroso (darker than Amontillado and dry) sherry and is on the dry side. From my research, only 1-2% of grapes pressed for sherry naturally develop into Palo Cortado. Sherry casks are very popular to finish whisky, but is not everyone’s cup of tea when it comes to flavor. Usually the sherry cask creates a very sweet tasting whisky (aka a sherry bomb) which I do not like. In this expression the flavor profile is very dry.
Palo Cortado has a good balance and flavor, but I could see many Americans not liking this expression because of the dry sherry flavor. Sherry is not popular in United States and dry sherry is even less popular.
Priced around $135, and more of an after dinner or one and done whisky. Not sure where you can find it but worth the money.
If you like it, drink it! – Christopher
If you like it, drink it!
