£79.95
Teithmill is the secret name for one of the most unusual distilleries in Scotland. A former cotton mill that utilises hydro power from the River Teith, the site of Deanston Distillery dates back to the late 1700s - just like my family’s own whisky story. It was not until 1966 that it transformed from mill to distillery, yet Deanston has quickly established a reputation for producing one of the finest single malt whiskies in Scotland.
This 10 Year Old single cask showcases the distinctive waxy character that has made Deanston stand out from the crowd. Before bottling, I made a pilgrimage to Deanston to learn more about how this remarkable character is created. It’s an inimitable combination of long fermentation, an open top mash tun and the mysterious magic of the feints charger that all contribute to the oiliness of the spirit. Receiving not just the heads and tails but also the fermented wort creates a dual intensity: strong wax followed by extreme fruitiness.By selecting this refill hogshead I want to highlight as much of that distillery character as possible. No fancy finishes, no over use of oak. This is a whisky that lets you taste what Deanston Distillery is all about.
There are many distilleries in Scotland which started life as mills, but none of them had quite the scale of Deanston. This huge plant was constructed on the banks of the fast-flowing River Teith in 1785 by Richard Arkwright who used it as one of the sites for the development of the Spinning Jenny. It also had what was claimed to be the largest water wheel in Europe.
Weaving continued here until 1964 when the buildings were bought by Brodie Hepburn [see Tullibardine, Macduff]. Production started in 1969, but its original owners only had it for three years before the company was bought by private label specialist Invergordon. It ran for a decade before the ‘80s whisky slump forced its owner to shut it down. Eight years later, it was bought for £2.1m by Burn Stewart.
It can claim to be one of the greenest distilleries in Scotland. All of its power is generated by a turbine house which processes 20 million litres of water an hour. The excess electricity is then sold to the National Grid.
Although single malt bottlings started relatively early – in 1974 – it is only recently that Deanston has been elevated to a front-line single malt brand.
| Weight | 30 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 12 × 40 × 12 cm |
