Released in 2015, the DEANSTON 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch is an award-winning whisky that offers 46.3% alcohol by volume (ABV) and is bottled with non-chilled filtered. It bursts with expressions of velvety vanilla, sweet gingerbread, hints of spice, and citrus notes.
Formerly a cotton mill, Deanston is located in Scotland’s Highland region. Their whisky products are unpeated and matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, creating smooth whiskies with hints of honey flavour.
In recent years, Deanston has emerged as a rising star for producing single malt whisky. All products are made from the finest local Scottish barley. Apart from that, the distillery’s prime location on the bank of River Teith gives it the benefit of sourcing smooth water that flows over granite. They even generate electricity with their own hydroelectric power plant.
Tasting notes
Bright lemon gold in colour, the DEANSTON 18 Year Old boasts a delicate floral scent balanced with aromatic notes of American oak, vanilla, honey, and nutmeg. Such an array of scents will remind you of freshly baked pastries. Meanwhile, you will experience rich flavours of citrus, malt, and creamy toffee mixed with a peppery taste upon drinking, jogging your memory of gingerbread. Then, the taste slowly fades and leaves a warm, spicy finish lingering in your mouth.
First-fill bourbon barrels
The DEANSTON 18 Year Old is matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, casks that have been previously used to age bourbon and are now being used to age another whisky for the first time.
The most prominent qualities of the predecessor liquid will be imparted onto the whisky. As required by American law, bourbon barrels must be made from American white oak. As a result, flavour compounds contributed by the barrels would seep in, giving the whisky a toasty oak character with vanilla overtones.
Compared to subsequent fills, first-fill casks deliver more intense flavour compounds that give the vanilla notes a rounded character. Meanwhile, vanilla notes from successive fills would have a stronger caramel expression.
Serving tips and food pairings for DEANSTON 18 Year Old
There are several ways you can enjoy the DEANSTON 18 Year Old. The simplest way is to drink it straight and neat without adding anything. However, what’s the fun in that?
If you’re looking for an adventure, try whipping up a cocktail. Here’s one.
The Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- 30ml of DEANSTON 18 Year Old
- A cube of brown sugar
- A dash of Angostura bitters
- A splash of water
- A few cubes of ice
- Orange twist to garnish
Steps:
- Pour the DEANSTON 18 Year Old, brown sugar, Angostura bitters, water and ice into a mixing glass.
- Give it a good mix.
- Strain it into a rocks glass
- Add a squeeze of orange zest.
- Twist to garnish.
Other cocktails include the Manhattan and Whisky Sour.
Interestingly, oysters make a fantastic choice to pair with the 18 Year Old. The right amount of spiciness, salinity, and smokiness combined allows both to complement each other.
Other than that, chocolate and whisky make a classic pair. Salted hazelnut chocolates would go well with the 18 Year Old Highland malt.
Otherwise, pairing it with soft, creamy cheese would make perfect harmony. With that, the cheese will not overpower the whisky but bring out its vanilla qualities.
Notable awards
Over the years, the DEANSTON 18 Year Old has received numerous accolades for its harmonious and well-balanced character.
- The Whisky Exchange 2022 — Whisky of the Year
- International Wine and Spirit Competition 2022 — 95 points
- The Scotch Whisky Masters 2021 — Master
- International Spirits Challenge 2020 — Gold
- World Whiskies Awards 2021 — Silver
- International Wine and Spirit Competition 2020 — Silver
- Singapore World Spirits Competition 2019 — Silver
The DEANSTON 18 Year Old is a sweet, pleasant dram with a smooth and satisfying finish. Lovely for a simple house party or any other occasion. Get a bottle now to get a taste of the Highland flavours!
