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Deanston

SCOTCH SINGLE MALT WHISKIES > D
DEANSTON   
14 years old
55,4 %
Date distilled Nov 77
Date bottled Nov 91
Society Cask No. code 79.4
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, Leith, Edinburgh
Heel alcoholische neus. Na toevoeging van water komen geuren van toffee, koekjes en bittere chocolade vrij. Droog en bitter. Ouderwets soort single malt. Niet voor beginnende single malt drinkers.

From weaving shed to warehouse

Deanston as a cotton mill build in 1785 and ceased production in 1965.

Castle Doune, at one time stronghold of the young and gallant Earl of Moray, a favou¬rite of Mary, Queen of Scots, is set by the River Teith in the heart of some of Scot¬land's loveliest countryside and it was a mile upstream from this famous castle that a mill was founded in 1785. In time it was realised that the regular unfailing supply of pure soft water which produced such excellent Scottish textiles, was absolutely right for the production of Scotch Whisky. So the ancient mill became Deanston Distil¬lery.

In about 1800 the owners, the Arkwright family, provided employment
For abour 1800 people. Adults and children.

The conversion work into a distillery was completed in 10 months and
production started in October 1969.

The original plan was for deanston to become the core malt in the blended
Scotch Whisky Old Bannockburn a blend from Brodie Hepburn, but that
never happened: in 1972 Deanston was sold to Invergordon Distillers.

Deanston was silent from 1982 – 1990, when it was sold to Burn Stewart
Distillers for 2.3 ooo.000 pound or $ 3.15 000.000

DEANSTON   
10 years old
46%                  
THE UN - CHILLFILTERED
COLLECTION
Distilled on: 17th June 1992
Bottled on: 17th October 2002
Matured in a Sherry Butt
Butt No: 4288
676 Numbered Bottles
Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh

DEANSTON   
25 years old
40 %
LAST  BOTTLE  AND  EMPTY            
Burn Stewart Distillers, Glasgow

DEANSTON   
6 years old
40 %   
Deanston Distillery Doune, Pertshire
This Highland Pertshire malt is of medium weight, has a fresh malty aroma, a complex flavour and has a touch of honey on the tail.

THE  DEANSTON     
17 years old   
40 %                                                 
Single Highland Malt
Distilled and Matured by
Deanston Distillery. Nr. Doune, Perthshire
Built in 1785

Deanston Distillery sits on the banks of the pure soft River Teith. This fas flowing river
rises north of Loch Lomond and flows through Loch Katrine and Loch Ard in the beauti-
ful Trossachs region. This is real Rob Roy country. The area is dominated by five moun-
tains: Ben Lomond, Ben Venue, Ben More, Ben Vorlich and Ben Ledi. The hard grey
granite of the mountains softens the water, and the heather clad moorland imparts a dis-
tinct flavour and character with a hint of peat to our pure, natural Deanston Single Highland
Malt Whisky

17 year old The Deanston Single Highland Malt is a well – balanced whisky. Its unique cha-
racter is derived from the pure waters of the River Teith, whose source begins high in the
Trossachs north – west of the Distillery

The exellent conditions found within the 18th century maturation halls, the distinctive “Dumpy”stills and maturing for seventeen years, gently contribute to The Deanston’s
mature, smooth, lightly – peated medium flavour. A subtle, fruity whisky with pleasant
light after – taste.   
A great wee dram

A few miles from Deanston Distillery, Perthshire, near to the town of Stirling, lies the
site of Bannockburn, where in 1314 King Robert the Bruce of Scotland won a famous
victory against a powerful English army, led by Edward II

With 2 – 3 thousends knights, and some 15 thousend food soldiers, the English were
confident. Though outnumbered 3 – 1. Bruce outwitted his enemy within the marshy
surroundings of the burn. The English became trapped, a final cavalry charge was use-
less, their archers used too late, their defeat heavy. Years of peace and prosperity followed.          

DEANSTON
Aged  12  years  
46.3 %
D O B   1 9 9 7                                                      
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Natural Ingredients:
Water, Malted Barley
Simple, Handcrafted, Natural
Nothing added but hard work and
determination
We put everything we are,
into everything we make,
this is bottled bliss
Un - Chill Filtered
(Exactly as it should be)
Deanston Distillery, Doune, Perthshire
Bottled by Burn Stewart Distillers, Glasgow
1997
It was 12 years ago that Ian MacMillan (our Chief Whisky Maker) fully appreciated that there
was a star in the making.

Leaving nothing to chance he laid down the spirit in the perfect environment of our 18th century warehouses and allowed nature to run its course.

Hold it to the light. Consider its long journey. This is a celebration of nature at its very best.

Deanston Single Malt has come of age

2009
This is the only artificial colour that gets anywhere near Deanston.

Un – chill filtered, our whisky retains all of its natural flavour and deep character. When
water is added a heavenly clouding occurs. And this is exactly as it should be.

Breathe deep into the fresh, floral, citrus fruit aroma laden with a honeycomb maltiness.

Delve into the layers of barley sugar, creamy toffee and orange with hints of ginger.

Enjoy the long, balanced finale as spiced honey flavours dance on the tongue.

Deanston Single Malt. Crafted by nature. Nurtured by time.

DEANSTON     
46.3 %
VIRGIN  OAK
HIGHLAND  SINGLE  MALT
SCOTCH  WHISKY
Natural ingredients: Water, Malted
Barley, Yeast
FINESHED  IN  VIRGIN  OAK  CASKS
In - Chill Filtered
(Exactly as it should be)
We put everything we are, into everything
we make
Nothing added but hard work and
determination
Simple, Handcrafted, Natural
Deanston Distillery,
Burn Stewart Distillers, Glasgow
September 2010.

Deanston Distillery, near Doune is Perthshire is set to produce 500 cases of a 10 year
old organic single malt whisky.

Everything in the whiskyproduction has been certified by the Organic Food federation,

Master blender Ian MacMillan, there ‘s nothing added, and nothing taken away.

The casks, all of which previously carried whisky, bourbon and sherry, had to go through
an intensive process to be certified organic. The casks all had to be taken to a cooperage
and de – charred, meaning all the charring inside the casks had been taken away until it
was down to new wood. The casks were then –refired and ressembled.

The distiller’s stills also had been cleaned, to meet organic standards and the yeast has
also been certified as organic, while all the barley used had to be traceable back to the
field in which it has grown.

The whisky, will go on sale in January 2011 and will be priced between 50 and 60 Pounds.
A flow of organic 10 – year – old for the next 6 years.

They returned to the process in 2008, using organic barley produced by a Pertshire – farmer
and finished filling the casks for its 2020 ten – year old single malt organic whisky last
week.

Deanston is the greenest distillery in Scotland, it produces its own electricity, none of its
distilling process are automated and no computers are used.  

DEANSTON       
Aged  12  years  
46,3 %                        
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Un - Chill Filtered
(Exactly as it should be)
We put everything we are,
into everything we make
Nothing added but hard work and determination
Simple, Handcrafted, Natura
Water, Malted Barley
Deanston Distillery, Doune Perthshire
Ian MacMillan, Master Distiller.

We put everything we are,
into everything we make.

The idea could not be simpler.
We take the finest local ingredients
Rich local barley.
Canny local knowledge.
Soft water from the River Teith.
At Deanston the power of the river
has been harnessed since 1785
(We were green long before
it became fashionable !)
We hurry nothing
We just wait, wait and wait.
And when we’r tired of that
we wait a wee bit more.
What results is a strange thing indeed.
Something infinitely subtle.
Something reflective.
Something grand.
We have taken the very best that
Nature has given us and crafted it
into something truly beautiful.
We want every drop to be special.
Enjoy every single moment.
This bottled bliss

Deanston in Un – Chill Filtered to retain
Its natural flavour and deep character.
When water is added a heavenly
Clouding occurs.
And this is exactly as it should be.
A gift from the Gods.  

DEANSTON
Aged  
18  years  
46.3 %                                
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Un - Chill Filtered
(Exactly as it should Be)
BOURBON  CASK  FINISH
We put everything we are, into
everything we make
Nothing added but hard work
and determination
Simple, Handcrafted, Natural
Distilled, Matured and Bottled
in Scotland
Deanston Distillery, Doune

DEANSTON
Aged  20  years  
55.3 %                     
Higland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
OLOROSO  CASK  MATURED
LIMITED  EDITION
Un - Chill  Filtered ( exactly as it should be)
Deanston Distillery, Doune, Perthshire

We put everything we are, into everything we make
The idea could not be simpler
We take the finest local ingredients
Rich local barley
Canny local knowledge
Soft water from the River Teith……..and then we wait.

One of Deanston’s limited rare bottlings, this precious liquid was carefully hand – filled
to ex – Oloroso sherry casks and then left to rest for 20 years in our very special ware –
house, number 2 B, at Deanston Distillery.

With rich, creamy, spicy influences imparted by the wood from the ex – Oloroso casks,
this Deanston 20 year old has been bottled at cask strenght. The result is a one – off
limited edition Scotch whisky for those who appreciate beautifully crafted, hand – made
luxery.

Un – Chill Filtered to retain its natural flavour and deep character this is a masterpiece
worth savouring!

Colour: Copper Gold
Nose: Creamy with vanilla and ripe fruits, mouth watering butterscotch and subtle sweet
sherry notes.

Palate: Beautifully balanced with malty, rich and creamy with hints of sweet Oloroso mixed
with white chocolate, gingerbread, nutmeg and lovely spicy oak flavours.

Finish: Satisfying, spicy and lingering.

Ian MacMillan Master Distiller.


The Southern Highlands
DEANSTON

FRUITY, MALTY, NUTS, LIGHT

Doune, Perthshire. Licentiehouder: Deanston Distillery. Eigendom van Burn Stewart Dis-tillers Pic.
Gelegen bij Castle Doune, eens het eigendom van de Earl of Moray, gunsteling van Mary Stuart, koningin van Schotland.
In die heel bloedige periode in de geschiedenis van Schotland werd hij vermoord door de Earl of Huntly, zijn rivaal aan het hof van Mary Stuart, dat was in 1592.

Twee en een halve kilometer stroomopwaarts van de rivier Teith, werd in 1785 een katoenfabriek gebouwd naar een ontwerp van Richard Arkwright, de uitvinder van de spinmachine. De plek was gekozen vanwege de heel goede kwaliteit van het water
.
In 1965 besloot de toenmalige eigenaar James Finlay & Co, te verhuizen naar Catrine in Ayshire, waar ze ook een fabriek bezaten.

Brodie Hepburn, een bekende naam in de whiskyindustrie, de firma was eigenaar geweest van Mac Duff (Glen Deveron) en Tullibardine, wist Finlay ervan te overtuigen dat deze plaats ook uitstekend geschikt was voor een distilleerderij. James Finlay deed mee voor 2/3 deel in het aandelenkapitaal, Brodie Hepburn voor 1/3 deel, de laatste had de dagelijkse leiding.

Er werd verbouwd en de produktie startte in 1969.

In 1972 werd Deanston Mill, zoals de distilleerderij toen werd genoemd overgenomen door The Invergordon Distilleries Ltd, ook de eigenaars van Bruichladdich, Isle of Jura, Tamnavulin, Tullibardine, de Invergordon Grain Distillery en de Ben Wyvis.

In 1991 werd Deanston overgenomen door Burn Stewart Distillers Pic. en weer opgestart.

Burn Stewart Distillers Pic werd gevormd in 1988 en na een management buy-out werd er uitgebreid, Deanston werd overgenomen en Burn Stewart heeft nu een hoofdkantoor en bottelfabriek te Glasgow, een verkoopkantoor in Londen, blending en lagerpakhuizen te Airdrie en een bottelfabriek en lagerpakhuizen te East Kilbride.

De gevoerde merken zijn Black Prince, 12- en 17 jaar oud en Burn Stewart 12 years old De Luxe whisky.
Scottish Leader is de best verkopende blend met (in 1992) een verkoop van 1,5 miljoen flessen. Old Royal, 12 years old is een blend, Glendower een vatted malt, en de designers blend Burberry's en de malt whisky Deanston worden uitgebracht als 12-, 17-, en heel beperkt 25 jarige whiskies.

De lagerpakhuizen, gebouwd als fabriek voor het weven van katoen, waren gebouwd op het handhaven van een zo gelijkmatig mogelijke temperatuur, en de rivier de Teith zorgde door middel van waterturbines voor het leveren van stroom, ook nu nog, men heeft zelfs stroom over die wordt terug verkocht aan het electriciteits bedrijf.

De mash tun is van roestvrijstaal en met een inhoud van 10,5 ton. Er staan acht wash backs, ook van roestvrijstaal, elk groot 60.000 liter.
Deanston heeft vier ketels, gemaakt door Archbd McMillan and Co te Prestonpans, hoog en uienvormig, de twee wash stills hebben een inhoud van 20.000 liter elk, de twee spirit stills elk 17.000 liter.
De capaciteit van de met stoom gestookte ketels is 3.000.000 liter spirit per jaar. Er is plaats voor 45000 vaten whisky.

Burn Stewart is sinds Juli 1993 ook de eigenaar van Tobermory / Ledaig op Muil. Wallace is een likeur die ook wordt uitgebracht door Burn Stewart.

Februari 2003
Ian Bankier, manager van Burn Stewart, maakt bekend dat CL. Financial te Trinidad en Tobago, producent van rum en Angostura Bitter, die al een aandeel had in Burn Stewart van 28,9 % dit aandeel hebben verhoogd tot 52 % en het nu dus voor het zeggen hebben.

CL. Financial is de naam van de holding waaronder 62 ondernemingen vallen, verzekeren, financiële dienstverlening en projectontwikkeling.

In 1997 werd Angostura overgenomen en in 1998 Todhunter Rum.

CL. Financial betaalde £ 48,9 miljoen voor Burn Stewart, de merknaam Scottish Leader en de twee distilleerderijen Deanston en Tobermory.
Even later neemt Burnt Stewart Bunnahabhain op Islay over en het merk Black Bottle. Ian Bankier is nu (2003) de C & 0 van CL. World Brands.
Ian Bankier verlaat in 2003 C L World Brands en neemt in Februari 2004 The Whisky Shop over, een detail keten, met winkels in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Fort William, Oban en Cal-lander, met de bedoeling de keten uit te breiden naar andere steden in het Verenigd Koninkrijk.

The Wars of Independence 1296 - 1314.
The struggle for Scotland's Liberty from England's occupying army was centred in Stirlingshire. King Edward 1 of England deposed Scotland's King John Baliol in 1296. In 1297, William Wallace defeated Edward's army at Stirling Bridgesending them back to think again, but in 1305 was brutally executed in London.
Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scotland in 1306, but was soon defaeted at Meth-ven. Bruce escaped, many of his supporters suffering a horrible fate. Scotland's fortunes changed for the better in 1307, with the recapture of Douglas Castle by Black Douglas. More Scottish successes followed culminating in a large battle at Bannock Burn in 1314, the English having a numerical advantage of 3 to 1. The heavily armoured English knights become bogged down near the burn, rendering their archery ineffective, thus enabling Bruce's light cavalry to achieve victory within several hours. Years of peace and properity followed.
The Burn Stewart Distillery at Deanston lies on the river Teith. At this historicaL centre of Scotland we distil the fine flavoured single malt Deanston, a great dram.

1965     
A weavery from 1785 is transformed
into Deanston Distillery by James Finlay
& Co and Brodie Hepburn Ltd (Deanston
Distillery Co.) Brodie Hepburn also
runs Tullibardine Distillery

1966     
Production commences in October
1971     
The first single malt is named
Old Bannockburn
1972     
Invergordon Distillers takes over
1974     
The first single malt bearing the name
Deanston is produced
1982     
The distillery closes
1990    
Burn Stewart Distillers from Glasgow
buys the distillery for 2,1 million Pound
1991     
The distillery restarts production
1999     
C.L. Financial buys an 18 % stake of
Burn Stewart
2000     
Deanston starts Organic Whisky production
2002     
C.L. Financial acquires the remaining stake
2006     
Deanston 30 years old is released
2009
A new version of the 12 years old is
releaaed
2010
Virgin Oak is released
2012
A visitor Centre is opened
2013
Burn Stewart Distillers is bought
by Distell Group South Africa
for 160.000.000 pound
2014
A 18 year old is released released
for duty free
2019
A 1997 Palo Cortado, a 2006 Cream
Sherry Finish and a 2012 Bear Finish
limited releases are released
2016
Organic Deanston is launched
2017
A Vintage 2008 and a 40 year old
are released
2018
A 10 year old Bordeaux Finish
2019
1997 Palo Cortado finish, 2006 Cream Sherry finish, 2012 Beer finis are released
2020
Capacity 3.000.000 Litres
Output : 2.400.000 Ltrs
Organic Whisky is only 10.000 Ltrs
A 1991 Muscat finish, a 2002 Organix PX, AND A 2002 Pinot Noir finish are released
2021
Kentucky Cask and Dragons Milk are released
2021
Distell is bought by Heineken

'We fight not for glory, nor riches, nor honour but only for that liberty which no true man
relinquishes but with his life.' These bold words come from the Declaration of Arbroath which
was sent by the scots to pope John XXII. They were asking the pope to free their
rightful king Robert the Bruce from the punishment of excommunication, imposed upon
him years before for killing of the red comyn.

The story begins in the county of Perthshire which was to be the centre of Scotland's lto
Westminster. William Wallace, the first man to dare stand up to the might of Edward I,
'Hammer of Scot's 'had won a great victory at Stirling Bridge, but later even he was defeated
betrayed, captured and brutally executed. Now was the time for Scotland's man of Destiny'
to make his decision. Robert the Bruce accepted the most dangerous of crowns, but his puny
forces were defeated in battle. After battle his brothers and close friends were catured and
cruelly massacred, his wife and sister hung in cages outside the castle wall.

Bruce himself only escaped with great difficulty to the rugged islands
fight for liberty and independence. The scot's  former King John Balliol had been
humiliated and deposed. Their ancient throne dragged away
would give him security. Though out-numbered by 3 to 1 Bruce outwitted and out-fought
Edward II at Bannockburn, winning out one of history's greatest victories. Through his
daughter, Bruce was the ancestor of the Stewart dynasty from which also is descended the
present Royal Family. The Burn Stewart Distillery at Deanston lies on the River Teith not
far from the Stewart Castle of Doune and close to the great battlefields of Scotland's War
of independence where east meet west and the Highlands meet the Lowlands. It is here
that we distill the fine flavoured single malt 'Deanston' another great Scottish tradition
and a very fine dram

Deanston Distillery sits on the banks of the pure soft River Teith. This fas flowing river
rises north of Loch Lomond and flows through Loch Katrine and Loch Ard in the beauti-
ful Trossachs region. This is real Rob Roy country. The area is dominated by five moun-
tains: Ben Lomond, Ben Venue, Ben More, Ben Vorlich and Ben Ledi. The hard grey
granite of the mountains softens the water, and the heather clad moorland imparts a dis-
tinct flavour and character with a hint of peat to our pure, natural Deanston Single Highland
Malt Whisky

17 year old The Deanston Single Highland Malt is a well - balanced whisky. Its unique cha-
racter is derived from the pure waters of the River Teith, whose source begins high in the
Trossachs north - west of the Distillery

The exellent conditions found within the 18th century maturation halls, the distinctive
"Dumpy"stills and maturing for seventeen years, gently contribute to The Deanston's
mature, smooth, lightly - peated medium flavour. A subtle, fruity whisky with pleasant
light after - taste.   

A great wee dram
A few miles from Deanston Distillery, Perthshire, near to the town of Stirling, lies the
site of Bannockburn, where in 1314 King Robert the Bruce of Scotland won a famous
victory against a powerful English army, led by Edward II

With 2 - 3 thousends knights, and some 15 thousend food soldiers, the English were
confident. Though outnumbered 3 - 1. Bruce outwitted his enemy within the marshy
surroundings of the burn. The English became trapped, a final cavalry charge was use-
less, their archers used too late, their defeat heavy. Years of peace and prosperity followed.          

September 2010.
Deanston Distillery, near Doune is Perthshire is set to produce 500 cases of a 10 year
old organic single malt whisky.

Everything in the whiskyproduction has been certified by the Organic Food federation,

Master blender Ian MacMillan, there 's nothing added, and nothing taken away.

The casks, all of which previously carried whisky, bourbon and sherry, had to go through
an intensive process to be certified organic. The casks all had to be taken to a cooperage
and de - charred, meaning all the charring inside the casks had been taken away until it
was down to new wood. The casks were then -refired and ressembled.

The distiller's stills also had been cleaned, to meet organic standards and the yeast has
also been certified as organic, while all the barley used had to be traceable back to the
field in which it has grown.

The whisky, will go on sale in January 2011 and will be priced between 50 and 60 Pounds.
A flow of organic 10 - year - old for the next 6 years.

They returned to the process in 2008, using organic barley produced by a Pertshire - farmer
and finished filling the casks for its 2020 ten - year old single malt organic whisky last
week.

Deanston is the greenest distillery in Scotland, it produces its own electricity, none of its
pan> into everything we make.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
The idea could not be simpler.
We take the finest local ingredients, Rich local barley, Canny local knowledge, Soft water
from the River Teith.      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
At Deanston the power of the river has been harnessed since 1785
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  (We were green long before it became fashionable !)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
We hurry nothing, We just wait, wait and wait. And when we'r tired of that we wait a wee bit more.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
What results is a strange thing indeed .Something infinitely subtle.Something reflective. Something grand.
We have taken the very best that Nature has given us and crafted it into something truly beautiful.        
We want every drop to be special.Enjoy every single moment.This bottled bliss   
Deanston in Un - Chill Filtered to retain Its natural flavour and deep character.When water is added a heavenly
Clouding occurs. And this is exactly as it should be. A gift from the Gods.
    
It's sometimes said, when it comes to age, the trick is to grow up without
growing old' and we think we've captured this very sentiment with Deanston
Virgin Oak. We 've taken a selection of 'young'Deanston single malt, married
them together and added a wee 'twist' by 'finishing'the liquid in some freshly
charred new oak barrels (all the way from the U S A).

Call 'finishing'a fine balancing act'if you will, as this subtle process adds a ma-
ture intensity to the flavours in our whisky, while still keeping a certain youthful
zest and elegant charm. It is pretty amazing stuff…or at least we think so!

Of course, the quality of the wood is all important here and these American
oak casks really are at the top of the 'quality tree'. Having visited this family -
owned cooperage in a place called Bardstown, Kentucky, I just knew their
barrels would give us the perfect ending to our spirit maturation.

Everything was handmade by their dedicated team of craftsmen, their know-
ledge having been passed down from generation to generation. It felt like
their ethos was exactle the same as ours, and there's no doubt these casks
have done our malt whisky proud.

As ever, our whisky is distilled by a small team od skilled distillers using only
the finest and, importantly, local ingredients. And in true'Deanston - style',
we've left out the chill - filtration (A processthat 'polishes'the liquid but usu-
ally at the expense of aromas & flavours). Finally, it is bottled at 46.3 % at its
golden, honeyed colour.

As we say at Deanston: 'We put everything we are into everything we make
with nothing added but hard work and determination'

We really hope you emjoy this wise 'young' malt !

Ian MacMillan Master Distiller.  

Pronunciation:"DEEN - ston"
Translation: "The Hill"or "The Fort"
Slogans:  "Un Chill Filtered" (from  (exactly as it should be)"
"Nothing added and nothing taken away" "
The Home of Scottish Leader"                                                                                                                                                           
Neighbours  Glengoyne, Glenturret, Tullibardine                                                                              
Established:1965
Status:  Active / Producing
Water Source: River Teith
( from the upper course to ensure purity)                                                                                    
Barley:  Optic and Concerto
Malt Specs / Phenols:  1 - 2 ppm
(source water is naturally very lightly peated).                                                                                
Gristmill: Porteus Mill from 1966
Mash Tun: 1 cast iron open top with 23 ft diameter
with original. Rakes and ploughs -
10,5 ton, yielding 58.000 litres of Wort per
Cycle of 10 hours
Washbacks:  8 Stainless Steel with a  capacity  
of 65.000 litres each                                                                                                                                                  
Fermentation:  A mimimum of 48 hours and up
to 100 hours in the weekend                                                                                      
Stills:  2 Wash Stills, 2 Spirit Stills                                              
Average Strength of the New Make: 69,5 %                                             
Cask Types:  First - Fill and Second Fill
ex - Bourbon and Refill
Whisky Casks and some  ex - Sherry Casks                                                                                                       
Entry Strenght: 63,5 %
Warehouses:  4 dunnage-
3 racked Warehouses
Capacity for Single Malts: 45.000 Casks
Vatting and Bottling:  
Burn Stewarts bottling plant at East Kilbridge                                                       
Capacity;  3.000.000 litres a year
Current output: (2012)  2,300.000 litres a year
Visitor Centre:  Yes, opened in 2012
Blending Role: 85 % in Blends, 15 % as Single Malt
Blends from Burn Stewart: Black Bottle,  
Scottish Leader                                                                                 
Parent Company: C L Financial, Trinidad
Core Expressions: (2012  Deanston Virgin Oak
since 2010,
Deanston 12 years old, Deanston 30 years
Water: River Teith
Mash tun: 1 x 10,5 tonnes                                                                                                            

We put everything we are, into everything we make
The idea could not be simpler
We take the finest local ingredients
Rich local barley
Canny local knowledge
Soft water from the River Teith……..and then we wait.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           One One of Deanston's limited rare bottlings, this precious liquid was carefully hand - filled
to ex - Oloroso sherry casks and then left to rest for 20 years in our very special ware -
house, number 2 B, at Deanston Distillery.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       With With rich, creamy, spicy influences imparted by the wood from the ex - Oloroso casks,
this Deanston 20 year old has been bottled at cask strenght. The result is a one - off
limited edition Scotch whisky for those who appreciate beautifully crafted, hand - made
luxery.                                                                               

Un - Chill Filtered to retain its natural flavour and deep character this is a masterpiece
worth savouring!

Its mash tun is open-topped for example, while the way it is run – low gravity worts, long fermentation, slow distillation – helps to produce a new make style which is in the waxy quadrant. This represents a switch back to the original style. In the Invergordon era, Deanston had conformed to a modern style of production, making a light dry ‘nutty-spicy’ make.

Today organic barley is also run through the stills and, in common with all of Burn Stewart’s single malts, it is bottled without chill-filtering or caramel tinting.

BRAND PRODUCED HERE
Glen Ardoch

There are many distilleries in Scotland which started life as mills, but none of them had quite the scale of Deanston. This huge plant was constructed on the banks of the fast-flowing River Teith in 1785 by Richard Arkwright who used it as one of the sites for the development of the Spinning Jenny. It also had what was claimed to be the largest water wheel in Europe.

Weaving continued here until 1964 when the buildings were bought by Brodie Hepburn [see Tullibardine, Macduff]. Production started in 1969, but its original owners only had it for three years before the company was bought by private label specialist Invergordon. It ran for a decade before the 80s whisky slump forced its owner to shut it down. Eight years later, it was bought for £2.1m by Burn Stewart.

It can claim to be one of the greenest distilleries in Scotland. All of its power is generated by a turbine house which processes 20 million litres of water an hour. The excess electricity is then sold to the National Grid.

Although single malt bottlings started relatively early – in 1974 – it is only recently that Deanston has been elevated to a front-line single malt brand.

CAPACITY (MLPA) i
3
CONDENSER TYPE i
Shell and tube
FERMENTATION TIME i
50-100hrs
FILLING STRENGTH i
63.5%
GRIST WEIGHT (T) i
10.52
HEAT SOURCE i
Wash stills - steam heaters, spirit stills - steel coils
MALT SPECIFICATION i
Maximum 2ppm
MALT SUPPLIER i
Various (specified Scottish grown barley only)
MASH TUN MATERIAL i
Cast Iron, open top
MASH TUN TYPE i
Traditional
NEW-MAKE STRENGTH i
69%
SINGLE MALT PERCENTAGE i
15%
SPIRIT STILL CHARGE (L) i
13,500
SPIRIT STILL SHAPE i
Medium bulbous
SPIRIT STILL SIZE (L) i
15,500
STILLS i
4
WAREHOUSING i
35,000 casks on site on dunnage and racking
WASH STILL CHARGE (L) i
15,000
WASH STILL SHAPE i
Medium bulbous
WASH STILL SIZE (L) i
17,500
WASHBACK CHARGE (L) i
58,000
WASHBACK SIZE (L) i
60,000
WASHBACK TYPE i
Steel
WASHBACKS i
8
WATER SOURCE i
River Teith
YEAST TYPE i
Liquid 'M' type strain
OWNERS

Distell Group
2013 - present
CURRENT OWNER

Deanston Distillery Company
PREVIOUS OWNERS

Invergordon Distillers
1972 - 1990
Brodie Hepburn Ltd
1964 - 1972

BURN STEWART DISTILLERS
Distilling and blending company operating three Scottish distilleries, along with a bottling hall located at its East Kilbride headquarters, near Glasgow.

Burn Stewart Distillers owns Deanston distillery in Perthshire, Bunnahabhain on the Isle of Islay and Tobermory on Mull. Single malts from the three distilleries are offered at a variety of ages, and Tobermory also produces the peated Ledaig expression.

The company’s leading blended Scotch whiskies are the Islay-influenced Black Bottle and Scottish Leader, with the latter being its flagship blend, offered in four variants. Burn Stewart is owned by the South African spirit and wine producer Distell Group.

Established in 1948 as Burn Stewart & Company, the firm was originally a London-based whisky blending, brokering and export business, with the Scottish Leader blend among its assets. It was acquired in 1988 by a group of senior Scotch whisky industry figures, including former Hiram Walker finance director Fraser Thornton, who became chairman and managing director.

Two years after acquiring the company they purchased Deanston distillery in Perthshire, and in 1993 Tobermory was added to the portfolio. Bunnahabhain and the Black Bottle brand were bought from The Edrington Group in 2003.

The previous year, Trinidad-based venture capitalists CL Financial took over Burn Stewart for £50 million, but following difficult economic times it sold the company to Distell Group for £160 million in 2013.

DISTILLERIES & BRANDS
Angus McKay
BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Black Bottle
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Black Cock
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Bunnahabhain
ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Deanston
HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Glen Ardoch
HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Glen Blair
BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Glenrowan
BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Highland Rose
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
King's Whisky
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Ledaig
ISLANDS SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
McKenzie
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Old Argyll
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Old Royal
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Teith Mill
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
The Master
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Tobermory
ISLANDS SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Vittoria Clan
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
ASSOCIATED COMPANIES
Distell Group (Current owner)
Burn, McKenzie & Co
Deanston Distillery Company
Ross Brothers (Blenders)
St Andrews Distilling Company
The Bunnahabhain Distillery Company
Tobermory Distillers

Even though it was built in the late 1960s, Deanston has retained some old-style features in kit and distilling regime.

Its mash tun is open-topped for example, while the way it is run – low gravity worts, long fermentation, slow distillation – helps to produce a new make style which is in the waxy quadrant. This represents a switch back to the original style. In the Invergordon era, Deanston had conformed to a modern style of production, making a light dry ‘nutty-spicy’ make.

Today organic barley is also run through the stills and, in common with all of Burn Stewart’s single malts, it is bottled without chill-filtering or caramel tinting.

There are many distilleries in Scotland which started life as mills, but none of them had quite the scale of Deanston. This huge plant was constructed on the banks of the fast-flowing River Teith in 1785 by Richard Arkwright who used it as one of the sites for the development of the Spinning Jenny. It also had what was claimed to be the largest water wheel in Europe.

Weaving continued here until 1964 when the buildings were bought by Brodie Hepburn [see Tullibardine, Macduff]. Production started in 1969, but its original owners only had it for three years before the company was bought by private label specialist Invergordon. It ran for a decade before the 80s whisky slump forced its owner to shut it down. Eight years later, it was bought for £2.1m by Burn Stewart.

It can claim to be one of the greenest distilleries in Scotland. All of its power is generated by a turbine house which processes 20 million litres of water an hour. The excess electricity is then sold to the National Grid.

Although single malt bottlings started relatively early – in 1974 – it is only recently that Deanston has been elevated to a front-line single malt brand.

CAPACITY (MLPA) i
3
CONDENSER TYPE i
Shell and tube
FERMENTATION TIME i
50-100hrs
FILLING STRENGTH i
63.5%
GRIST WEIGHT (T) i
10.52
HEAT SOURCE i
Wash stills - steam heaters, spirit stills - steel coils
MALT SPECIFICATION i
Maximum 2ppm
MALT SUPPLIER i
Various (specified Scottish grown barley only)
MASH TUN MATERIAL i
Cast Iron, open top
MASH TUN TYPE i
Traditional
NEW-MAKE STRENGTH i
69%
SINGLE MALT PERCENTAGE i
15%
SPIRIT STILL CHARGE (L) i
13,500
SPIRIT STILL SHAPE i
Medium bulbous
SPIRIT STILL SIZE (L) i
15,500
STILLS i
4
WAREHOUSING i
35,000 casks on site on dunnage and racking
WASH STILL CHARGE (L) i
15,000
WASH STILL SHAPE i
Medium bulbous
WASH STILL SIZE (L) i
17,500
WASHBACK CHARGE (L) i
58,000
WASHBACK SIZE (L) i
60,000
WASHBACK TYPE i
Steel
WASHBACKS i
8
WATER SOURCE i
River Teith
YEAST TYPE i
Liquid 'M' type strain
OWNERS
Distell Group logo
PARENT COMPANY
Distell Group
2013 - present
CURRENT OWNER
Deanston Distillery Company
PREVIOUS OWNERS
Invergordon Distillers
1972 - 1990
Brodie Hepburn Ltd
1964 - 1972

DISTELL UNVEILS LIMITED EDITION MALTS RANGE
August 2018
South African spirits company Distell is launching a new annual collection of limited edition single malts from its Bunnahabhain, Deanston and Tobermory distilleries.

Bunnahabhain 2008 Mòine Bordeaux Red Wine Cask Matured and Deanston 2008 Brandy Cask Finish
First Wave: Malts from Deanston and Bunnahabhain are on shelves before the rest of the range
The 2018 collection is comprised of six whiskies, each of which has been matured or finished in casks seasoned with Sherry, brandy or red wine.

Derek Scott, brand manager for malt whisky at Distell, said: ‘Using the flavour profile each brand is known for as the guide to select the finishing casks, we’ve been able to create six limited release whiskies that are not just of interest for their points of difference, but are also fantastic drams that remain true to the whisky’s style.’

Two of the six editions are available now, with the remaining four released in September.

Bunnahabhain 2008 Mòine Bordeaux Red Wine Cask Matured is already available in global specialist whisky stores, priced around £75.

The peated single malt, which is bottled at a cask strength of 58.1% abv, is fully matured in red wine casks from Bordeaux to provide ‘rich grape and peppery smoke notes’ with ‘hints of toffee and tobacco’ on the palate.

Deanston 2008 Brandy Cask Finish is also currently available, priced around £60. The expression, which is bottled at 56.4% abv, was matured for seven years in American oak casks before being transferred to Brandy butts for an additional maturation period, providing ‘rich oak with a distinctive dried fruit and brandy influence’ on the palate.

The remaining four expressions in the 2018 collection, which will be released globally from 12 September, include malts from Tobermory distillery on Mull – including its peated variant Ledaig – and Bunnahabhain on Islay:

Tobermory 2005 Fino Cask Finish, £110
Ledaig 1998 Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish, £130
Ledaig 1998 PX Cask Finish, £150
Bunnahabhain Palo Cortado Cask Finish, £275

Scott added: ‘We’re lucky to have three very different distilleries and this showcase will allow us to share the stories of each and highlight how these are reflected in the bold new releases.’

Deanston produces a waxy new make and one way to obtain that character is a long fermentation.

Organci whisky produced in 2018 was 10.000 litres.

FROM COTTON MILL TO DISTILLERY; A STORY OF REGENERATION
Our story begins with the opening of a cotton mill, known at the time as Adelphi. Chosen for its location on the banks of the River Teith, the mill would provide the perfect setting for an innovative new community of craftsmen.

The Deanston Cotton Mill opened its doors. Designed by one of the fathers of the industrial revolution, Richard Arkwright, Deanston was at the forefront of new beginnings as Scotland moved from agriculture to industrialisation.

1808
The mill flourished and as the workforce grew, so did the need for accommodation. The owners saw the opportunity to create a self-contained village and so built housing for 300 workers which still form the centre of Deanston today. Deanston was also the first industrial establishment to issue its own currency. Due to a shortage of coins during the Napoleonic wars, French and Spanish coins were branded with a Deanston stamp and issued to workers. These coins were known as ‘Deanstons’ and were only redeemable in the village grocers and haberdashery.

Deanston became the first village in Scotland to use gas lighting; 1 year before Westminster Bridge and a staggering 45 years before the neighbouring village of Doune

1830
Due to its prime location on the banks of the River Teith, a lade and waterwheels were installed to power the machinery in the Spinning Mill and Weaving Shed. The wheels were named Samson and Hercules, the latter being the largest in Europe at the time, measuring over 36ft high

New management and a new vision, led to the construction of a unique Weaving Shed, with groined arches and a water tight roof, insulated by 3 feet of soil from above. The insulation would protect the cotton from temperature fluctuations and potential damage. Today it's the perfect location to mature whisky.

1841
Thanks to the success and developments of the cotton works, the local parish population grew to an all-time high of more than 4000 people, with the mill itself employing more than a quarter of the inhabitants.

Cementing its status as a village in its own right, the makeshift school for the children of the mill workers, housed in the mill complex, was replaced by a dedicated building in the heart of the village. This building, plus many others, still stand at the centre of Deanston village today.

1949
Our historic and long running commitment to sustainable energy was secured with the installation of new electrical turbines which to this day provide all of our electricity using water from the river and original lade.

When the cotton industry declined, the workforce at Deanston Mill gradually decreased before it closed its doors. Rather than signalling the end of an era, this heralded a new beginning, and a new craft, for the local community.

1974
In the years following the mill’s conversion to a distillery, the community would learn a new craft and channel its commitment to hard work and innovation into producing the very first bottle of Deanston Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Deanston Distillery proudly opened its doors to its brand new Visitor Centre. From tours and tastings, to exclusive limited editions, this new tourist attraction has allowed the distillery to share its fascinating story with the world.

Glen Ardoch
Quite simply, this is Deanston single malt under a different moniker.

GLEN ARDOCH
This is an export version of Deanston single malt distributed in France, Austria, Germany and Italy. Glen Ardoch is typical of the southern Perthshire distillery’s output with fresh floral notes and citrus on the nose and a palate that reveals barley sugar, toffee, orange and slight hints of ginger on the palate. A touch of smoke and some spiced honey pervade the finish. It has been released as a NAS at 40% abv and more recently as an 8-year-old.

PRODUCED AT
Deanston

The first expressions of Glen Ardoch were bottled under the St Andrews Distilling Co Ltd, formed in 1989, a subsidiary of Burn Stewart Distillers Ltd, which had itself been subjected to a management buyout in 1988.

Burn Stewart was taken over by CL Financial in 2002 and subsequent expressions of Glen Ardoch were bottled under the Burn Stewart name. In 2013 CL Financial sold Burn Stewart to Distell Group of South Africa for £160 million.

Distell Group logo
PARENT COMPANY
Distell Group
2013 - present
CURRENT OWNER
Burn Stewart Distillers
2002 - present
PREVIOUS OWNER
St Andrews Distilling Company
1990 - 2002

TEITH MILL
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY
Teith Mill was the name for a 40% abv blended Scotch whisky centred around the first spirit to be produced at Perthshire’s Deanston distillery. The distillery’s owner, Brodie Hepburn Ltd, also owned Tullibardine and Macduff distilleries, so it’s likely a proportion of their malt was also used in the blend.

The Teith Mill brand name was also later used for a NAS single malt bottling exclusively for British retailer Marks & Spencer.
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STEPHEN WOODCOCK, DISTELL
June 2019
Stephen Woodcock oversees operations at Deanston, Bunnahabhain and Tobermory distilleries in his role with parent company Distell. Ahead of Tobermory’s re-opening this summer, he reveals what went on behind the scenes during the Mull distillery’s two-year closure and the drive behind creating its first gin.

Woodcock loves the whisky he makes – but loathes pairing it with food
‘I cannot understand the trend of pairing whisky with food, or whisky and chocolate, or whisky with anything else. I know it sounds cliché, but I like to enjoy a nice whisky on its own, as intended. Why would you pair something that’s so nice when enjoyed on its own? A splash of water or a rock of ice is fine, but I want my full attention on the dram. I have a very one-dimensional palate – it’s one reason why I’ll never be a blender.

‘I was born into the drinks industry, as my father owned a pub and my mother worked for Allied Distillers for 40 years. I’m a chemist by trade. I worked in chemistry for a couple of years, but the lure of whisky was never far away – I landed a role with Diageo at Port Dundas distillery in Glasgow and worked there until it closed. I moved north and my role took me to a number of distilleries and I’ve been working in whisky ever since. Distilling is just a chemical process like any other.

‘Tobermory is extremely important to the community on the island of Mull. When we closed for two years we wanted to retain the staff as we’re not tripping over distillers in Mull by virtue of being the only distillery on the island. Each distillery is a big part of the community it’s in, so we wanted to make a commitment to the locals that we’d be staying open, especially in light of the distillery’s chequered past. Over the years, Tobermory has been closed almost as long as it’s been open.

Tobermory distillery is a key feature on the small Scottish island of Mull

‘In those two years we’ve done a lot of work to the infrastructure such as replacing the roofs, all four washbacks and two stills. We’ve also been working on a gin plant with a smaller still for experiements.

‘The new stills will work slightly differently, with replaceable joints as opposed to having everything welded in place. When we come to change any of the parts, it will operate like a Formula One pit crew: rather than cutting through the still and welding it back together again like the old days, we’re using air-driven torque wrenches. Old kit out, new kit in and suddenly we’re back up and distilling. It’s quicker, but it’s also safer. Unfortunately, I’m yet to convince Andrew [Brown, distillery manager at Bunnahabhain] to go for this kind of still. He’s so traditional – he said: “I will not see a flange [a raised rim that runs along a joint] on a still as long as I draw breath”.

‘Those new stills won’t change the way we distil our whisky. If you’ve got a good thing going, you don’t change it. However, what we have done is rebranded the Tobermory 10 to a Tobermory 12, relaunching it with new, vibrant packaging. The 10-year-old was a fine dram and to be honest, we were underselling it. But rather than being cynical and just increasing the price of the bottle, we’ve premiumised it by leaving the whisky for a couple of extra years in the cask. Those two years have added a nice round maturity to the whisky, coupled with a sweetness the 10-year-old was lacking. I believe the age, the quality of the spirit and the price point now all tie together beautifully.

‘Funnily enough, we kept the visitor’s centre open and we’ve seen record numbers of footfall since the distillery was shut. Even being silent hasn’t put people off visiting us.

Longer wait: Tobermory’s new flagship whisky has been matured for a further two years

‘We recognised Tobermory was not doing much to tap into the uniqueness of Mull. We were the only distillery on the island and we wanted to put something through the stills that would reflect the island’s unspoiled landscape, so we created Mull’s only gin. We could have taken the easy route – you may not be aware there’s an old gin rectification house at Deanston, so Distell could have produced gin there – but we decided to make something from scratch and distil our spirit in a beautiful part of the world.

‘That was the rationale behind building our small experimental stillhouse, which is home to our little “wee Mary” gin still. The name comes from Tobermory, which is Gaelic for “Mary’s well”.

‘As an industry, whisky is often viewed as taking an awful lot from some of our natural resources without putting too much back in, but Deanston sticks out for its green credentials. Deanston was one of the first distilleries to make organic whisky, bringing in barley grown without pesticides, which lessens its environmental impact. Seeing more organic whiskies coming through would be a very positive thing for the industry. At Bunnahabhain, we’re looking at installing a biomass boiler for steam generation and we’ve stopped sending our waste co-products like draff to be turned into cattle feed. Instead, all our co-products now go to third parties who generate gas with it, so we’re feeding energy back into the grid.  

‘My family home is in Speyside. From Monday to Friday, my time is split between three distilleries, so when I go home those two days are very precious to me. I love my music – I have always been a very keen guitar player. I’m not very good at it and I know that, because I can see the faces of the people in the room when I’m playing it.

‘I was also a keen rugby player, but my nickname as a full-back was “Hole In My Bucket” because I never seemed to catch the ball. Now I’m a man of a certain age, I make my voice heard from the touchline instead. However, regardless of what I’m doing, I can always manage to squeeze a dram in somewhere.’

Distell withholds dividend as Heineken takeover talks persist
26 August, 2021

South African wine and spirits producer Distell has withheld its dividend for 2021 financial year amid ongoing takeover talks with Heineken.

The world’s second largest brewer opened talks with Distell about acquiring “the majority” of the South African company’s business in May.

“The discussions between Heineken and Distell are progressing, but several aspects still need to be considered and ultimately agreed,” said Distell in a statement to the market. “Shareholders should take note, that although discussions have progressed, there is no certainty that the remaining aspects will be successfully resolved and agreed.”

For that reason, it has put its dividend on ice for the time being. If talks with Heineken fail to bear fruit, it will declare a dividend for the year to June 30, 2021.

Distell believes that it will be in a position to provide more detailed information to shareholders on the potential transaction before the end of Q3 2021.

Distell produces Nederburg wine, Amarula cream liqueur, Savanna cider, Klipdrift brandy and whisky brand Bain’s. It also has a Scotch whisky division featuring Bunnahabhain, Deanston and Tobermory.

It reported that revenue for the year to June 30 grew 26% to R28.3 billion ($1.89 billion), while profit increased by more than 500% to R1.9 billion ($130 million). Earnings per share increase by 227%.

For the year to June 30, 2020, no final dividend was declared due to uncer

Heineken buys Bunnahabhain parent, Distell
Big news came from Heineken this week who revealed plans to buy South African wine and spirits maker Distell Group Holdings in a €2.2 billion deal. If approved, the transaction will include an internal restructure of Distell to create two new businesses: Newco and Capevin. The former will combine Distell’s portfolio of spirits, wine, cider and ready-to-drink beverages with Heineken’s Southern Africa and export markets business, which includes Namibia Breweries and South African whisky distillery James Sedgwick. Capevin will include the company’s remaining assets, including its Scotch whisky business, consisting of the Deanston, Tobermory and Bunnahabhain brands. As part of the agreement, Heineken will own a minimum 65% stake in Newco, while Distell’s largest shareholder Remgro will retain control of Capevin. “Together, this partnership has the potential to leverage the strength of Heineken’s global footprint with our leading brands to create a formidable, diverse beverage company for Africa,” says Distell CEO Richard Rushton. “I am excited for what lies ahead as we look to combine our strong and popular brands and highly complementary geographical footprints to create a world class African company in the alcohol beverage sector.” We’re intrigued what effect this move will have on some of our favourite single malts.

Richard Rushton, Distell CEO said:

“Today marks a major milestone in Distell’s journey. Our resilient business’ stand out performance and the excellence of our people have been recognised by a much-admired Global Brewer in Heineken. The offer is testament to the strength of Distell’s leading position in South Africa and growth in select African markets, alongside the value of our brands and people providing the potential to immediately unlock significant value for our shareholders. Together, this partnership has the potential to leverage the strength of Heineken’s global footprint with our leading brands to create a formidable, diverse beverage company for Africa. We will have a stronger route-tomarket with a unique multi-category portfolio, furthering our sustainable growth trajectory and ability to compete on scale. I am excited for what lies ahead as we look to combine our strong and popular brands and highly complementary geographical footprintsto create a world class African company in the alcohol beverage sector. Our combined entity will grow our local expertise and insights to better serve consumers across the region. Heineken and Distell collectively have family-owned values with strong legacies in South Africa and are committed to continuing to play a strong role in addressing critical social and economic imperatives in the country.”Heineken’s CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board Dolf van den Brink said:

“We are very excited to bring together three strong businesses to create a regional beverage champion, perfectly positioned to capture significant growth opportunities in Southern Africa. Distell is a highly regarded, resilient business with leading brands, a talented workforce and a strong track record of innovation and growth in Africa. With Namibia Breweries Limited, there are exciting opportunities to expand premium beer and cider in Namibia and grow the iconic Windhoek brand beyond its home market. Together we will be able to better serve our consumers and customers through a unique combination of multicategory leading brands and a strengthened route-to-market. The businesses share common values derived from their family heritage, long-term perspectives, entrepreneurial spirit, and respect for people and the planet. We have successfully built our business in Africa over 100 years. Today’s announcement is a vote of confidence in the long-term prospects of South Africa and Namibia and we commit to being a strong partner for growth and to make a positive impact in the communities in which we operate.”

Deanston launches new experimental 15 year old expression finished in tequila casks
Deanston Distillery has unveiled an experimental new tequila cask finished expression.

August 24, 2023
The Deanston 15 Year Old Tequila Cask Finish whisky has been inspired by the Highland regions of Mexico and Scotland, and is a fruity and floral dram which encapsulates the distillery's waxy signature style.

Matured in traditional Oak hogsheads for 13 years before finishing for a further 24 months in hand-selected barrels that once held Agave Tequila, Deanston 15 Year Old Tequila Cask Finish pays tribute to two distinct Highland regions which, despite 5000 miles of geographical separation, share striking similarities including regionality, flavour profile and production methods.

Celebrating the fusion of two worlds, the team say that Deanston’s waxy, soft and honeyed profile perfectly marries with the fruity, floral notes of Mexican Highland tequilas from one of Mexico's five producing regions.

With fresh notes of pineapple, crème brûlée, mixed nuts and light oak on the nose, the limited edition 52.5% ABV tequila cask dram is rich, yet dry on the palate, bursting with flavours of caramelised agave, toasted almonds and baked apples with custard. The finish is long with brown spice and sweet, citrus bursts.

Deanston tequila cask
Julieann Fernandez, master blender at Deanston Distillery said: “Deanston is a highly versatile spirit that is complimented by a myriad of eclectic casks.

"I spend a lot of time exploring how our whisky works with different flavour profiles and discovered its citrusy, waxy character intricately pairs with the fruity, floral tequilas which the Jaliscan Highlands region is famed for.

"The result is an incredibly complex, subtle and balanced dram that is distinctly Deanston.

"Our signature characteristics of zesty orange peel, honey and spice all remain at the forefront, yet the classic Deanston waxy flavour, honeycomb-like texture and creamy mouthfeel is ever present.

Plans approved for Witchburn Distillery - a new Campbeltown whisky distillery
"I anticipated the tequila flavour would be dominant, revealing itself in the primary notes and on the palette, however this isn’t the case.

"It’s much lighter and smoother than you would expect and epitomises our bold, brave and experimental ethos.”

Retailing at £95 for a 70cl bottle, the new expression will be available from specialist retailers and online at the Deanston

arrels and is then re-racked into ex-tawny port casks.

The result? A near-perfect balance between spirit and wood. Glen Moray’s fruit-forward house style is undeniably there, but the port imparts a remarkable richness and a much welcomed heft to the texture.

Deanston 15 Year Old Tequila Cask
$102

When the Scotch Whisky Association—the industry’s trade body and de facto regulator—relaxed strict rules on how whisky is matured, reactions were mixed.

The purists decried an assault on tradition. Others welcomed an overdue loosening of excessively tight constraints on a craft which has a history of experimenting.

We sat back and waited to see how distillers would use their new-found freedom.

The result? Ex-tequila cask maturation.

There have been a few of these now, but we’re especially drawn to this release from Highland distillery Deanston. The bottle says the spirit was first aged in traditional oak—we presume ex-bourbon—before a period of finishing in those refill tequila casks.

But, what exactly was in those casks beforehand? Tequila from the Altos (Highlands) of Jalisco, Mexico, which generally crafts floral and fragrant spirits. Deanston’s casks held these tequilas for four to five fills, so the wood is well-seasoned and has plenty to impart on the whisky.

Does it work? Yes and no.

In some ways, this 15 Year Old Tequila Cask whiskey is precisely what the purists feared: a spirit dominated by the tequila influence on the nose and through to the palate and finish.

One really has a hard time finding Deanston’s underlying spirit style here; the sweet grassiness imparted by the tequila all but flattens it.

But yet, it is hugely flavourful. And, as odd as this is, we rather like it.

Is it a Scotch in the conventional sense? Perhaps not.

Is it worth the buy? Undoubtedly
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