Cadenhead's Small Batch Deanston 19 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Deanston has not garnered a great reputation, with many past bottlings considered less than inspiring. One commentator summed up the house style as" sulfured, hard and awkward". Reports have it that this independent release marks a departure, being clean and very appealing. Distilled in 1994 and bottled in 2014 at a natural strength of 56.4% Alc./Vol., only 846 bottles were produced. The price is attractive for a 19 year old at this ABV.

Tasting notes from Cadenhead's are as follows: "Nose Waxy fruits and green apple skins along with some cold meats. Lots of lemon notes, some olives and fig chutney. Palate Spiced apples, green bananas, whole limes and coconut milk. Fresh cut grass and lots of fragrant herbs. Finish: White wine, watermelon, cloves and a little oily."

Located just outside the town of Doune in Perthshire, the Deanston Distillery is located on the banks of the River Teith. Originally a cotton mill, it was converted to a distillery in the 1960s and like many others prospered in the whisky boom of the 1970s when it was purchased by Invergordon Distillers. The 'Great whisky lake' of the 1980s saw many distilleries mothballed as supply exceeded demand, this included Deanston which closed in 1982. In early 1990 the distillery was purchased by Burn Stewart Distillers, with the intention of primarily utilizing its produce into blends such as the 'Scottish Leader' (not seen in Australia). Today, somewhere in the region of 15% of whisky produced at Deanston is destined to be bottled as stand alone single malt.

The stills at Deanston have narrow necks with ball-shaped bulges, the arms slope slightly upwards which encourages reflux, which in turn produces a lighter spirit. A reliable supply of water from the River Teith, combined with cool, humid conditions make the location ideal for the maturation of whisky. Interestingly, the distillery is also self-sustaining (the only one of its kind in Scotland) having implemented water turbines for power.