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Hello Dear Readers!
As we at C&W awake from our wintry slumber, our search today for delicious, barrel-related liquids takes us back to the land without the “e” – Deanston Distillery in the Highlands of Scotland. The Deanston Virgin Oak is a fine blend. That’s right, another fotbalove dresy blend joins our ranks. Technically, Deanston does classify it as a single malt because they finish the whisky in a single barrel, but seeing as how they “married” separate single malts to create the VO, it certainly seems like a blend for all intents and purposes.
After you pour yourself a dram of Virgin Oak, one cannot help but notice the intriguing color of its contents; this whisky is lighter on looks than most, like wheat mixed with an old bookcase left out in the sun too long. And what the VO lacks in color is certainly compensated by its pungent aroma. Indeed if prohibition ever graces the land of Robert the Bruce, Deanson could simply turn into a scented candle factory and not miss a bob in profits. The oak stands out, and mixed with the slightest floral zest, makes it difficult to power through to the actual tasting. The flavor of the Virgin Oak is complex, especially for a distillery that was formerly a simple cotton mill.
The taste is certainly not disappointing, but James Bond would probably not be caught sipping it either. If Hugh Grant were drinking this whisky I imagine his camisetas de futbol baratas first reaction would be “befuddlement” – the VO has a bite but is not remotely peaty and is easy to sip yet the 46.3% alcohol content can make the stairs as hard to conquer as Everest after a couple rounds.
Virgin Oak by Deanston – curious, captivating, and cost-effective at around $30 a bottle.
But as always, further research is needed…
