Deanston Orange Wine Cask Finish 17 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

An intriguing cask experiment that saw its final three years in Vino de Naranja Orange fortified wine casks from Spain. This must have been one feisty spirit when it went into barrel. For a 17 year old, even at high strength, you'd expect more composure. The nose opens with semi-ripe apricots, dilute honey and a warm gingery feel. On the palate, ginger snaps, peel-heavy marmalade, honey and spice evoke a contemporary oloroso sherry-like character. Orange cake and warming oak linger in a bittersweet finish. The balance improves after ample air contact, however taming the attack with water will be essential for many. 7000 bottles are on offer globally. Sold out at the distillery website. 53.6% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

Other reviews... A very good whisky that has won me over. Whether I would ultimately need a whole bottle of it is another matter... Initially, it has a very robust character, and the alcohol is quite noticeable. For a 17-year-old whisky, that's rather surprising in my opinion. On the fruity side, I primarily detect overripe tangerines. With water, the alcohol note noticeably diminishes, and woody notes become more prominent. At the same time, the fruitiness decreases somewhat. Thus, the whisky both gains and loses something with water. The orange flavor is most pronounced in the finish. In addition, pleasant, full-milk aromas emerge in the medium to long finish. - whiskybase.com