Deanston | NYC Whiskey Review

Deanston – Kentucky Cask Matured

July 3, 2024 Scotland

Name: Deanston – Kentucky Cask Matured

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Malt, honey, apple/citrus, vanilla, light oak

Taste: Malt, oak, apple, spices

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”.

I saw this whisky on the bar at the Potstill in Glasgow this year and I thought I would give it a try. Deanston Kentucky Cask Matured (Deanston KY) is non age stated, matured in first and second filled bourbon barrels, soft filtered, and bottled at 40% abv. The fancy words of “soft filtration” probably means “kinda less non-chilled filtration” and “Kentucky Cask Matured” means aged in ex-bourbon barrels. Calling Don Draper. Call Mr. Don Draper in the Deanston marketing meeting!

Deanston KY has a nice over flavor profile and it is light with a little spice on the finish. The light taste melts away on your palate very quickly. If this was served on ice, it would have almost no flavor at all. I am a fan of Deanston and I do not see enough of their expressions in America, but this is far too light for my taste. I imagine this was created to market to a American Bourbon drinker (aka St. Matthew B.)

Priced around $30 a bottle online, but not seen in the stores. I do not recommend this one as it is far too light of a whisky to really enjoy.

If you like it, drink it! – Chris

If you like it, drink it!

Deanston 12

December 5, 2021 Scotland

Name: Deanston 12

Color: Dark Yellow

Nose: Malt, orange, flowers, light oak

Taste: Malt, orange, honey-vanilla, white fruits

Review:

21 Days until Christmas! Do you have all your gifts and bottles ready?!?

The Deanston 12 is un-chilled filtered, natural colored, aged in ex-bourbon barrels, and bottled at 46.3%. It has a medium body but with lighter fresh fruit notes on the finish. This expression is better tasting and more balanced than stated Deanston Virgin Oak (nas), BUT, not as good as some the other expressions I have reviewed.

I have reviewed the following Deanston expressions: Virgin Oak, 15 year Organic, 15 Year Sauternes, 12 Year Palo Cortado Finish, and Decennary.

Deanston Single Malts are a great gift or a change of scenery if you only drink the “Glen’s” that come from Scotland and there are a few of them. I am hopeful that travel will to the United Kingdom will re-open in later 2021. I look forward to seeing my family in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sterling, and a trip to Deanston Distillery.

Priced around $55 and Deanston is always worth the money.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Deanston Decennary

September 17, 2020 Scotland

Name: Deanston Decennary

Color: Copper

Nose: Vanilla, orange zest, red wine

Taste: Orange, spice, madeira sweet sugar

Review:

My cousins, who live in Sterling got me a sample pack of Deanston Scotch. Each bottle contains 3cl (1oz) samples from the distillery and Decennary was the fourth sample I tasted.

Decennary was created to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the Deanston Distillery. The word “Decennary” is the old British word for decade (10-year time period). Not sure why they picked this one when they were celebrating their 50^th. From my research I have learned the whisky is finished in a multi-vintage vatting of four casks; 1977 ex-bourbon, 1982 American Oak, 1996 Port Pipe, and 2006 Pedro Ximanez. The flavor is very nice and well balance but a bit on the sweet side. It is worth trying, but for me, it is a one and done due to the sherry sweetness.

Price around $150 and is a limited run of 1400 bottles. If you like the flavor profile it is worth it, but $150 can get you a lot of other whiskies.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

Deanston 15-Year-Old Sauternes Finish

February 18, 2020 Scotland

Name: Deanston 15-year-old Sauternes Finish

Color: Brown

Nose: Malted barley, sweet wine, caramel, vanilla

Taste: Candy fruit, sweet wine, caramel, vanilla

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”.

I tried Deanston a few years ago but do not remember the taste profile. It was probably around the time when I first started getting into whisky. My cousin who lives in Sterling got me a sample pack. Each bottle contains 3cl (1oz) samples from the distillery and Sauternes was the fourth sample I tasted.

The Deanston 15-Year-Old Sauternes Finish is bottled at 57.3%, non-chill filtered, and has its natural color. The strength of the whisky balances well with the sweetness but the flavor profile is hard to detect without adding a few drops of water.

Sauternes is a sweet wine that comes from the Graves section of Bordeaux in France. It is known for being an after dinner or dessert wine and one of its biggest claim to fame is the famous Chateau d’Yquem. From my brief time as a sommelier in college (a career I should have stayed in) I can tell you that Sauternes wines taste amazing and that the d’Yquem is ridiculously fucking expensive.

Price around $110+ and the balance is good but not too sweet. I look forward to tasting the last sample.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Deanston Virgin Oak

January 30, 2020 Scotland

Name: Deanston Virgin Oak

Color: Light brown

Nose: Honey, fresh flowers, light oak, vanilla, orange

Taste: Oak, honey, floral, vanilla

Review:

The Virgin Oak name comes from the new oak casks that are used to age the scotch. The barrels originate from Kentucky and the final bottling is at 46.3%. The flavor profile is ok and in line with the price per bottle. On the first taste I got a slight burn and a bit of cream. It opened up a little with some water but was nothing amazing.

Price around $35 and ok but nothing exciting. I look forward to tasting the other samples.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Deanston 12-Year-Old Palo Cortado Finish

January 28, 2020 Scotland

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:

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!

Deanston Decennary

April 10, 2019 Scotland

Name: Deanston Decennary

Color: Copper

Nose: Vanilla, orange zest, red wine

Taste: Orange, spice, madeira sweet sugar

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 Decennary was the fourth sample I tasted.

Decennary was created to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the Deanston Distillery. The word “decennary” is the old British word for decade (10-year time period). Not sure why they picked this one when they were celebrating their 50^th. From my research I have learned the whisky is finished in a multi-vintage vatting of four casks; 1977 ex-bourbon, 1982 American Oak,1996 Port Pipe, and 2006 Pedro Ximenez. The flavor is very nice and well balance but a bit on the sweet side. It is worth trying, but for me, it is a one and done due to the sherry sweetness.

Price around $150 and is a limited run of 1400 bottles. If you like the flavor profile it is worth it, but $150 can get you a lot of other whiskies.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

Deanston – Kentucky Cask Matured

Deanston 12

Deanston Decennary

Deanston 15-Year-Old Sauternes Finish

Deanston Virgin Oak

Deanston 12-Year-Old Palo Cortado Finish

Deanston Decennary

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