Deanston Distillery Exclusive 8 Years Old 2013

An official release of Deanston, an 8 year old, from 2013, cask 5093, at 57.8%, 320 bottles in all. Deanston is a green, honeyed Highland malt from the Teith valley, the only Scottish distillery to make its own power. The mill ran for 180 years before cotton declined and the site became a distillery.

Mashed in the open top tun and fermented long for a fruity make, giving the soft, malty Highland spirit. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the green fruit. Young and extractive, the cask sheds vanillin (vanilla) and toasted sugars (light caramel) over the fruity, waxy spirit. Unchillfiltered and at natural colour, it keeps the full waxy body in the glass. It runs an open top mash tun, two wash and two spirit stills of a bulbous shape. The light, fruity make takes cask flavour well while keeping its honey and wax. Its flagship is the 12 year old, bottled unchillfiltered at 46.3%.

At 57.8%, undiluted, it is deep and honeyed. Baked apple, honey and a creamy malt, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked apple and a gentle clove lift it. It finishes long, waxy and warming. This is a green, honeyed Highland malt with a waxy heart.