Deanston 18 Cognac Cask

I did an Advent Calendar made up of samples I had acquired over time, chosen by my wife, amongst all of the samples in my whisky shelf.

We’re onto Advent Day #4, and so far I haven’t missed any. I eventually will, but my resolve is still pretty strong. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m loving this. It’s keeping me to task and making me not eat Lindt all the time instead of drinking.

With the last whisky I realize that my wife is following a pattern, however, it took a few more weeks and a realization that she may have been drunk when she figured out the “pattern” that it was hard to follow.

See if you figure it out. Let’s see what the next one tastes like, shall we?

Price: US only, none for the LCBO

Region: Highland

Casks Used: 12 years in ex-bourbon, 6 years in ex-Cognac

Abv: 46.3%

Colour: 10Y 9/6

Nose: Brown sugar, peach, oak, cream, hard candy

Immediate sugar. Some molasses, some just straight up rock candy/hard candy from Nana’s house.

Some cream, some oak. But the brown sugar and hard candy are the main things. I’m lost here.

Taste: Lemongrass, cream, lime, butter

Lighter on the taste than the nose. Lots of fruit/acid, more grass, and butter. I’m leaning towards a Lowland at this point, but maybe one with a bit more strength to it?

Wait, what Lowlands do I have? Dammit, I gotta catch up on samples.

Finish: Cloves, grassy, mango, lemon, pineapple

A ton of citrus here. If there was a lot before, now we’re at peak “guy having trouble carrying all of these lemons” jpeg.

Goes a bit tropical with the acid, but really it’s just too much acid, like why your parents had you at a Pink Floyd concert and now yell at each other.

Conclusion: Too much citrus. At the time I felt this must have been some sort of ex-bourbon cask that took on more and more acid and was sold off to an IB because no one needs this much sour.

However, upon finding out what it was (I was incorrect), I think they took a dram that was having issues in the original ex-bourbon cask and took a chance on an ex-Cognac cask hoping that it would give it some life.

Well, it sure was acidic. This is not boring, and I happen to enjoy Lowlands with the grassy and acidic elements, but it’s missing mineral, or floral to really go the distance. As it stands it’s more of an oddity, one of those “hey check this out” drams that nearly gets there.

Perhaps the lower-than-cask-strength Abv. lost some of the delicate aspects. I appreciate Deanston doing a second maturation rather than a cheap finish, even if it didn’t quite get there.

76/100

Guess: Lowland, 40-43%, Ex-bourbon cask

Actually: Deanston 18 Cognac Cask

Deanston 18 Cognac Cask was brought out for the US market with a limited run. It was matured 12 years in ex-bourbon casks and then given a second maturation for 6 years in ex-Cognac casks.

Scotch review #1061, Highland review #178, Whisky review #1654