Deanston Virgin Oak

very light with oak that builds

Scotland, 14 September 2017. Whisky #7 Distillery tasting. Nose: Lemon, vanilla, fruit and some bright oak. Palate: A continuation of the nose, and fairly similar to the 12 year old but sharper and more grippy, with a lot more spice including pepper and hot ginger. Finish: Short. Rather hot and spicy with a tannic aftertaste. Knowing this features virgin oak in the maturation you can't help but think of it as a NAS version of the 12 year old that has been force-matured by pumping up the wood influence. Too idiosyncratic for me - the spicy notes are over prominent with nothing hefty enough underneath to support them, which makes it come across as brash and young. A very "industrial" nose that made me think of what Glenrothes might be like without the sherry cask influence (shudder). I was glad to have tasted it, but I wouldn't buy it. "Average" : 75/100 (2.5 stars)