Deanston 12-Year
46.3% ABV - Highlands, Scotland
Nose: Dry grass, fresh apple, honey and vanilla served on the malting floor… with a side of marmalade.
Taste: The palate stays very true to the nose, though perhaps the apple is now a mix of sour and caramel candied.
Finish: Medium length bringing mostly fruits, with some spices and oak in the mix.
I feel that the Deanson 12-Year gave me a good reset for what I had in mind that a good bottle of scotch should cost. There’s so many great bottles out there and many of those tend to be above a hundred dollars—this set me back about $85 CAD. I think that it is an incredibly good value bottle that ticks the boxes of (1) higher ABV at 46.3, (2) an age statement disclosed, and (3) non-chill filtered. It doesn’t have the (4) natural colour box… but three of four is great!
This is one of the few bottles that I have repurchased, and one of even fewer that I have a multi-bottle stash of—the kind of purchasing a sale price might cause you to do. (The way whisky prices are going everything will feel like you bought it "on sale" in a couple years…) Dangerously drinkable!
Details: Aged in ex-Bourbon for 12 years. Non-chill filtered.
Tasting Notes (Official): Open Deanston 12 years old and envelop your senses with signature notes of heather honey, vanilla, creamy caramel and sweet oak. Pour, sip and savour the soft vanilla, oak and subtle malt flavours. Then let the satifyingly clean, dry finish wash over you as notes of honeyed fruit and gingerbread linger long on the palate.
Tasted 5 November 2023. (Posted 9 December 2023.)
