I’m always happy when I get to try one of these dumpy bottles from Signatory Vintage. They have some ups and downs, but the ups can be truly heavenly. Fingers crossed.
This Deanston was distilled October 1967 and bottled October 1991.
Deanston 23 yo 1967 (55,4%, Signatory Vintage 1991, cask #1785, 300 btl.)
Deanston 23 yo 1967 (55,4%, Signatory Vintage 1991, cask #1785, 300 btl.)Nose: pretty great after some breathing. Lots of marzipan and oranges, coupled to pretty huge notes of warm, polished oak. Some waxed leather. Dried coconut. Apricots in the background and warmer fruity notes. A dusty element. Some eucalyptus as well. Really nice.
Mouth: starts with the same kind of old-style fruitiness that we found on the nose, but it quickly turns upside down. Becomes quite hot and very bitter / herbal, even slightly chemical. Orange skin, tonic, wormwood… Hints of nasty cough syrup. Growing astringency with airing, I didn’t see that coming!
Finish: long, medicinal and bitter.
A really nice nose (90) and a palate that’s way too bitter to be enjoyable (75) which always results in a rather meaningless final score. Educational whisky. Long gone of course, but the Whiskybase shop has a bottle on offer for around € 400.
Score: 84/100