Making the experience of super-luxury spirits crazily affordable and accessible!
Read more about the Spirits project.
- Suggested retail price: $179
- Thursday, May 21 (for as long as it lasts), we're pouring a one-ounce pour for $6
Deanston first acquired its name in 1500, when Walter Drummond (the Dean of Dunblane) inherited the lands now known as Deanston from the Haldanes of Gleneagles. The Scots word ‘dean’ was coupled with the Scots Gaelic term ‘toun’, meaning farm/settlement, to make Deanston.
The site was a cotton mill from 1785 to 1965. That’s 180 years! As the need for Scottish cotton mills was on the wane, there was a strong market for good Scottish whisky. Deanston Distillers Ltd converted Deanston Mill into a malt whisky distillery in 1965.
The soft, fast flow of the River Teith made the site ideal for whisky production. Three floors were removed to make room for four copper stills and a mash tun. The constant, cool temperature of the weaving shed made it ideal for whisky maturation.
Deanston started bottling in 1971 and the first single malt was named Old Bannockburn. Teith Mill, a blended whisky, was also produced at this time - a kiosk was set up at Blair Drummond Safari Park which sold Old Bannockburn and Teith Mill in take-away cartons.
In 1974, the first single malt bearing the name Deanston was produced. Sadly, after a downturn in the whisky industry, Deanston Distillery ceased production in 1982. Finally, Deanston was purchased by its current owners Burn Stewart Distillers Limited in 1990. These folks also happen to own Tobermory on The Isle of Mull and the delightful Bunnahabhain on Islay.
Deanston is now the only distillery in Scotland to be self-sufficient in electricity, with power generated by an on-site hydro-energy facility. Deanston sits in the Highlands and produces whisky which is handmade by ten local craftsmen, un-chill filtered, natural colour and bottled at 46.3%.
Master Distiller Ian MacMillan took a barrel of spirit that was almost twelve years old and transferred it to old Cognac barrels. He let it continue to rest for its final six years. The result of his labor, this Deanston 18, will be available to you beginning this evening.