Deanston 14 Year Organic
A great tragedy has recently befallen my local whisky community—Deanston 12 Year has vanished from the market.
These days I don’t often buy the same bottle of whisky twice unless it’s something I really enjoy. If there’s a limited release or indie bottle that I particularly love, I may buy a backup for future enjoyment. When it comes to standard expressions, there are very few that I regularly repurchase as soon as I run out of a bottle. Ardbeg 10 is one. Ben Nevis 10 would be another, were it more readily available. The new Port Charlotte 10 is firmly in the same camp. Springbank 10 of course. And Deanston 12. That’s it. Those are my typical core whiskies that I keep available as both reference points and everyday enjoyment. That’s not to say that I don’t rebuy other bottles from time to time, but the aforementioned whiskies are the only expressions that I routinely repurchase as soon as I polish off a bottle. I always want them in my house—my whisky cabinet feels lesser when one is missing.
A month or so ago I poured the last ounce of my bottle of Deanston 12, and so the next day I went to one of my regular whisky stores looking to purchase a replacement. They were out. It happens. So I went to another store that usually has a larger selection and supply. They too were out. Weird, I thought. I started contacting other stores around town only to find the same thing—no one had it in stock anymore. I asked the owner of one of my favorite stores in the area to see if he could get more supply, only to find out that the distributor no longer has the 12 year in stock. WTF. But he gave me a lead on a store that might still have some. When that lead turned out to be a dead end, I started desperately driving around the city to stop in random stores, some of which I haven’t visited in years (or ever). Surely someone still has a bottle in stock—it was only a year or two ago when Deanston 12 was fairly ubiquitous here in Middle Tennessee. But so far, I’ve had no luck. All of Nashville seems to be missing Deanston 12.
Now sure, I could find a way to obtain a bottle without too much trouble. I could have it shipped here. I could drive a few hours or have a friend who travels regularly pick up a bottle for me. But that’s not the point. This is Deanston 12 we’re talking about. It’s not some limited edition release that everybody is pushing and shoving to get. It’s a great value everyday type of dram that should be in the cabinet of every single malt fan. It’s a new/modern standard. A whisky that’s perfect as a table setter to start off a flight, or as the focus of a single tasting. It’s versatile. A great introduction to people new to single malts (especially bourbon fans), but still great for scotch whisky veterans as well. I shouldn’t have to order a bottle online, arrange for someone to pick it up, or search a 50 mile radius trying to find a bottle.
Sometimes whisky distribution puzzles me. The whole damn industry can be puzzling for that matter.
Anyhow, to quench my Deanston thirst, I happen to have a bottle of their 14 year old organic expression. Made using certified organic barley, this limited edition Deanston was aged in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in virgin oak. Also not available to me locally, I picked up this Deanston somewhere in my travels across the US last fall (actually I believe it was a birthday present, if I remember correctly). Can it at least temporarily replace Deanston 12 in my rotation? Let’s see.
Deanston 14 Year Organic Review
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Region: Highlands
Age: 14 years
ABV: 46.3%
Non chill-filtered
Natural Color
Nose
Soft and fruity, with quite a bit of floral vanilla. Malty. Grain driven, but in a mature way. Orchard fruits. Butterscotch.
Palate
Big burst of vanilla upon arrival. Vanilla ice cream with butterscotch swirled through it. Banana pudding loaded with vanilla wafers. Malty and fairly sweet. Doughy and biscuity. Cereal grains. The American oak influence is clear, but doesn’t overwhelm. Reasonably good mouthfeel, fairly thick and creamy.
Finish
Somewhat short. Vanilla wafers. A bit sour (strangely, but not poorly). Bourbon oak. A slight bit of fresh mint. Banana pudding.
Overall
A nice whisky for sure, with plenty of typical Deanston characteristics (vanilla, biscuits, wafers), but fairly one dimensional and not terribly complex. I like vanilla in a whisky, but here it’s a bit much. A little on the sweet side for my tastes too. It’s nice, but hardly my favorite Deanston. The 12 year is better, more rounded, more complex. Enjoyable nonetheless.
SCORE: 6/10
Final Thoughts
Does the organic barley make a difference in this whisky? I don’t know. Grain does matter, as evidenced by whiskies such as the Bruichladdich Islay Barley series. I’m not so sure, however, if organic vs. non-organic barley makes much of a difference or not.
I wish we knew more about the grain used here. Was it locally sourced? Perhaps a less common barley variety? Single farm? I’m guessing not, but the bottle doesn’t say one way or the other, only that it’s organic. Regardless, it’s nice to see distillers experimenting with organic grains, if for no reason other than to determine that perhaps it doesn’t matter much in the final product.
Buying Advice: At around $100, I can’t really recommend Deanston 14 Year Organic as a good value. The distillery’s 12 year expression is better and cheaper—if it’s available in your area, go for the 12 year instead. If you’re looking for a higher end Deanston, their 20 year old Oloroso cask is fantastic. A bit more expensive, but worth it in my opinion.
Questions about my scoring system? Refer to the Review Method & Scoring Scale page.
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