Back to reviewing the new limited editions for 2018 from Distell distilleries and after reviewing earlier today the Deanston limited edition for 2017, we’ll now focus on the 2018 edition, the Deanston 2008 Brandy Cask Finish.
Like its predecessor, it’s a 2008 vintage matured for almost 8 years in ex-bourbon casks and then trasferred to Brandy casks for two years before being bottled at 56.4%. No official bottles count was released but availability seems somewhat limited comparing to the Bordeaux from 2017.
Deanston 2008 Brandy Cask Finish (56.4%, £54.95/€66,99)
Nose: Oh this is a sweet one. The Brandy impact is there with sweet white wine, grapes, nuts and sultanas. subtle pepper, vanilla, bread-y and creamy. With a few drops of water it’s spicier and the bread-y note turns to multi-cereals health bread. Continue reading
Nose: Somewhat musty and fungal at first, takes a few minutes to expose its secrets, then the sherry notes shows up, sour sweet dried fruit and it’s getting a bit dirty, oily, fumes, greenery, Almost a Springbank sans peat… A few more minutes and more layers are exposed, nuttiness then sour sweet fruitiness followed by spiciness layer and back to fungus. A brilliant nose experience. 
Nose: Right out of the fresh bottle it was very closed and needed some time to open up. Then we get dry smoke accompanied by red berries, cherries and red wine. After breathing for a while there’s smoked meat and sweet glazed BBQ meat with nuttiness to top it all. 
Nose: Soft nose, for a fleeting second I could believe its a Glenmorangie whisky. It’s sweet with lots of stone fruit, citrus, soft white pepper, butterscotch, cake-y. After breathing for a few minutes there’s sweet dessert wine, nuttiness, dried pineapple and banana, then more
Nose: Sour sweet dried fruit, barley and cereals, honey and white pepper. After a few minutes it open up and we get some lovely sherry notes like milk chocolate, sour red berries juice mixed with demerara sugar so we get enhanced sour and sweet experience. 
Nose: Somewhat muted at first so lets give it a few minutes to open up. Then we have pears, apricot and honey sweetness. Slowly rocks dust note comes up, baked pears, cake dough and vanilla, After a while it gets fruiter and sweeter. 
Nose: Fruity, again the limestone note, hints of tropical and guava, caramel, butterscotch. A very fresh nose for a 25 Year Old Whisky. Pears and apricot, honey, gentle cinnamon and oak spice. Wt menthol freshness and slight note of semi dried plums and red berries 
Nose: Very closed and restrained at first. After a few minutes we get the limestone again, citrus, mellower, gentle white pepper, pears and a touch of apricot, honey and a bit of vanilla, less fruity than the younger siblings. 
Nose: Really not far away from the 12 year old. Fruity with pears and apricot, stronger bubble gum, limestone but not as a separate hard barrier but incorporated and ingrained, honey. After a few more minutes more fruits and orchard in springtime. 
Whisky Gospel 