Whisky Review – Deanston 14 y/o Organic

Another dram from our ‘build your own’ advent calendar from Master of Malt. We really like a Deanston whisky; a personal highlight being the Virgin Oak expression in an old fashioned cocktail. The 14 y/o organic is another fantastic dram, with immediate notes of warming woody spice, spring air and honey. An inviting familiarity, with just enough intrigue to pull you into the glass!

Deanston Distillery …

Established in the 1960s, the Deanston Distillery actually used to be a cotton mill! Brodie Hepburn – the founder of Deanson – saw the potential in the site and was prepared to take the risks, thus the distillery was born in 1965.

If you are looking for an interesting pub-quiz fact, Deanston are powered by the river Teith. This river is so powerful they are able to sell 75% of the electricity generated back to the National Grid.

Passionate about their ingredients, they use only Scottish Barley. With a mission of sourcing as many of their ingredients as locally as possible they have many partnerships with local farmers. Traditional hands-on methods are also important to the team at Deanston.

Tasting Notes …

Deanston 14 y/o Organic – 46.3% ABV

This whisky was originally matured in ex-bourbon casks, before being moved to new oak casks for a finishing period. At £74.95 this whisky appears to sit firmly in the middle of the typical Deanston price range. The ABV of 46.3% is nothing unusual in the current market, and certainly adds some waxy texture on the palate.

Nose: cedar wood, woody spice, fabric softener, spring air, honey drizzled tropical fruit, cloves, grapefruit
Palate: thick mouth feel, oaky spice, honey and vanilla, cloves and thyme, citrus peel
Finish: punchy spiciness at the front of the palate, followed by more oak and thick honey

Very much a typical Deanston, this was some beautiful soft, smooth, sweetness – followed by a lovely level of spice. Although somewhat pricey for an everyday dram, this would happily sit on most whisky shelves.

We absolutely recommend trying to get your hands on a sample of this whisky, or trying it in a bar if you have the opportunity. This could very well be your next everyday dram, but given the higher price point, well worth trying before taking the plunge. If you are introducing someone to the world of whisky then you can’t really go wrong with a Deanston – a wonderful balance of sweet and spice!