Deanston 17 year old Orange Wine Cask Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 53,6%

Vino de Naranja is an Andalusian speciality made from sun-dried orange peel and matured in solera. Putting it on a seventeen year old Highland malt is not something many had thought of.

Expert description

Deanston 17 years Orange Wine Cask Finish is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured fifteen years in ex-bourbon casks with a final finish in Vino de Naranja casks and bottled at 53.6% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

Deanston has occupied a converted cotton mill at Doune since 1966 and has never followed the crowd. The first fifteen years in bourbon wood give the honeyed depth and waxy texture the house is known for. The whisky is then moved into casks from Vino de Naranja, a Spanish orange wine made from sun-dried peel and aged in a traditional solera system.

Tasting notes

Nose

Orange peel and honey first, then dried apricot, vanilla and a warm spiced note. A lightly bitter citrus note sits under the sweetness.

Palate

Full and concentrated. Marmalade, honey and malted barley, with a dry orange edge from the finish and a peppery warmth from the strength. The wax from the bourbon casks is still clear.

Finish

Long and dry, with orange, spice and a faintly bitter peel note that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Deanston 17 years Orange Wine Cask Finish Single Highland Malt Whisky 53,6%
Distillery: Deanston
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 17 years
ABV: 53.6%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon casks with a Vino de Naranja finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Edition: Orange Wine Cask Finish

Flavour profile

Orange · Honeyed · Spiced · Waxy · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. An unusual cask type on a seventeen year old whisky at cask strength. Vino de Naranja finishes barely exist elsewhere in Scotch whisky.

Did you know?

Vino de Naranja is made by steeping sun-dried orange peel in young wine for months before it enters the solera. It is an Andalusian farming tradition rather than an industrial process — which is why the casks exist only in very small numbers.

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Frequently asked questions about Deanston 17 years Orange Wine Cask Finish

What is Vino de Naranja?

An Andalusian orange wine made by steeping sun-dried orange peel in young wine and ageing it in a solera system. The casks are rare in whisky and give a clear, lightly bitter orange character.

How long was the finish?

The whisky spends fifteen years in ex-bourbon casks before moving to the Vino de Naranja wood. It is the final years that give the orange character, while the bourbon casks provide the honey and wax.

Is it bitter?

There is a light bitter edge from the orange peel, but it works as a counterweight to the honeyed sweetness rather than dominating. Same principle as the peel in a marmalade.

Should I add water?

At 53.6% a couple of drops can open the orange notes further. Try it neat first, because the waxy texture from the bourbon casks dilutes away easily.

What defines Deanston?

A soft, honeyed and waxy Highland style from a converted cotton mill by the River Teith. The distillery uses no peat at all. See the rest of the region in our Highland Whisky.

Does it pair with food?

Try it with dark chocolate and orange or a cheese board served with marmalade. The orange edge meets the sweetness without the whisky disappearing.