Deanston 15 year old Organic Single Highland Malt Whisky 46,3%

Organic barley for whisky sounds like marketing until you discover how few distilleries bother with the effort. Deanston has been doing it since the early 2000s.

Expert description

Deanston 15 years Organic is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky made from organic barley, matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 46.3% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

Organic whisky requires the whole chain to be certified — the field, the maltings, the distillery and the casks must be kept apart from anything conventional. That is the main reason so few do it. Deanston sits in a converted cotton mill by the River Teith, which drives the distillery's own hydroelectric plant, and the house has worked with organic production for over two decades.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and pale. Malt, honey and green apples, with citrus peel and a light herbal note.

Palate

Soft and precise. Malted barley, honey and pale fruit, with vanilla from the cask and a dry spiced edge. The cereal character stands out more clearly than in the 12 year old.

Finish

Long and dry, with malt, citrus and a mild spiced warmth.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 15 years Organic Single Highland Malt Whisky 46,3%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 46.3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Organic
EAN no.: 5029704218264

Flavour profile

Clean · Malty · Honeyed · Citrus · Herbal

Investment potential

Medium. Organic single malt with an age statement is a small category, and Deanston is one of the few distilleries producing it as a standing range.

Did you know?

For a whisky to be called organic, the casks must be too. In practice that means casks traced back to certified sources and kept physically separate in the warehouse — a logistical exercise that costs more than the barley itself.

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Frequently asked questions about Deanston 15 years Organic

What does it take for a whisky to be organic?

The whole chain has to be certified: the barley, the maltings, the distillery and the casks. Everything must be kept apart from conventional production, and it is that logistics which puts most distilleries off.

Does organic whisky taste different?

Not automatically. The difference lies in the growing rather than the flavour, but Deanston's organic range has a cleaner, more cereal-led character than the standard — whether that is the barley or the cask selection is hard to separate.

How does it differ from Deanston 12 years?

Three more years in cask give more depth and a clearer dry edge, and the cereal character comes through more cleanly. The base style of honey and malt is the same.

Is it peated?

No. Deanston uses no peated malt in any of its ranges. For smoke, head towards Islay Whisky.

What does non-chill filtered mean?

That the whisky has not been filtered to prevent haze. The texture is fuller, and the whisky may cloud slightly when cold.

What defines Deanston?

A soft, honeyed Highland style from a converted cotton mill by the River Teith. See the rest of the region in our Highland Whisky.