Deanston 12Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky (750mL)

Deanston 12 Year Old combines cereal, creamy toffee and heather-honey aromas with oak and barley sweetness. The producer describes a creamy palate of fruit, honeyed malt spice and soft vanilla, ending with a clove note that gradually fades. Its unpeated Highland character makes it a useful choice for exploring malt and spice without making smoke the focus of the glass.

Try a small neat pour and return to it after a few minutes. Add water in small steps if you want to compare the aroma and texture at different strengths. A plain shortbread biscuit is a pairing to test beside the toffee and vanilla; keep a little whisky unmixed for comparison.

How it’s made: This Highland single malt uses unpeated barley and bourbon-cask maturation over twelve years. Deanston bottles it without chill filtration or added colour at 46.3% ABV.