Deanston 1991 28 Year Old Muscat Finish

Number 5 in the countdown to 300, and another two years of age to the dram in tonights glass. I know nothing of Deanston and have not sampled their wares before. This liquid was distilled in 1991, matured first in ex-Bourbon then finished in ex-Muscat for two years. I suspected Muscat on last nights Bladnoch Talia 26 was like a smack in the face from a bowl of potpourri. Let’s see how Deanston measures up on the florals. N: Yep, floral. This is a gentle nose but with plenty going on. Bright and juicy with both stone fruit, dark berries, and dried fruits. The sweetness carries well with toffee and vanilla. The florals are, unsurprisingly king here though; fresh blossoms interlace with orange spritz and a tropical tang. Vaguely malty and oaky at the back. P: Sweet and winey out the gate. A oiliness creeps through what is otherwise an almost cloying texture. Surprisingly tannic and spicy with a dominant old oak spice and hints of sweet cinnamon. The palate becomes waxier over time and honied. A dusting of cocoa here, a spattering of blackcurrant there, and through it all puffs of orange and perfume. F: Medium. Creamy fading to sticky and sweet. Sultanas, some shortcrust pastry, leather and more oak. Huh. I didn’t know what to expect here, but it wasn’t this. Curious, if it wasn’t for the waxy oak I would have suspected a 15 year old, maybe, certainly not 28. The malt that is trying to escape from the thick and weighty muscat finish would be so good if it could shine through a little brighter, there is not enough savoury here to balance the torrent of sticky sweetness. The nose is definitely the best part of this dram. The florals on the nose are inexorable, but they remain gentle and bring a lovely brightness. The palate is a bit of a disappointment it lacks the depth of the nose and the finish hints at what should be; instead though heavy finishing has stopped the palate from shining. Distiller whisky taste #296 [Pictured here with a lovely Eclogite from Monte Torretta in Piémont, NW Italy. This wonderful lump is yet another piece of the deep underbelly of our planets crust, and represents the highest pressures of metamorphism now thrust up onto the surface. This rock used to be a gabbro and is now a mix of red garnets, green omphacite, rare blue glaucophane, and retrograde flaky micas]

“Bunnahabhain & Friends” tasting at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 15 June 2022. Whisky #6 Nose: Blackcurrant juice, raisin, sultana, sweet grape juice, cashew, caramel, honey, orange, peach, pecan pie, rose-hip syrup and guava. A densely floral and fruity nose. Palate: Huge entry – sweet, soft, enveloping fruits and fortified wine. Things calm down as it moves into the development with spicy honeyed notes and an oily mocha character showing through. The palate remains mellow and blanketing throughout. The texture is rich, creamy and voluptuous and has a hint of wax. Finish: Medium/long. Grape jelly, sweet fruit tart and spice with a little dusty oak. This was an unexpected extra dram slipped into the lineup as the second last tasting of the night. We were given this blind and told only that it was a finished Deanston and they challenged us to guess the age and casking. The consensus was that it was of good age, probably around 20 years, bourbon cask matured with a fortified wine finish. Some folks correctly identified muscat (I said sauternes) and a couple guessed muscat and 28 years old (which seemed unusually accurate … hmm). This is the softest, most full-bodied and easily approachable Deanston I’ve tasted. I’m not overly fond of their whiskies but this is a good one. However, I was surprised to learn it was 28 years old (my guess was 18) and I occasionally had the feeling while tasting that it was almost a caricature of a whisky, the finish being laid on so heavily. I’ve seen this available for $450-550 from various retailers but the average price is around $480. That’s pretty steep, and I would not pay that much, but these days it’s not outrageous for a 28 year old whisky (unfortunately). “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)

Nose is brown sugar sweet & fruity. Rich & robust dark fruit flavors; creamy & oily mouthfeel with just the right amount of spice. The finish is short with a light coffee/chocolate taste.