Deanston Orange Wine Cask 17 Year Old: When Whisky Means Something

Deanston Orange Wine Cask 17 Year Old has hit our virtual shelves today. But that’s not the reason I want to write about this whisky. For that, I need to go back to last Wednesday.

Sitting in Lolo’s restaurant on Bermondsey Street with the best seat in the house, next to master blender Julieann Fernandez. There, Deanston’s guests heard her story, a Scot with Spain in her veins, a connection that she had the chance to honour through her work.

“My parents met in Andalucía, and some of my happiest memories are wrapped up in the warmth, generosity and flavours of that part of the world… When I got the opportunity of orange wine casks at Deanston, it genuinely felt like bringing a piece of my own heritage into our spirit for the first time.”

The Julieann Fernandez factor

Cask finishes are everywhere. Most of them feel like someone flicking through a wine list and pointing at whatever sounds expensive. 

And a lot of press releases lean on “personal stories”. But Fernandez really did grow up between Scotland and southern Spain. She has family roots in Jaén. Orange groves, heat, that slightly sticky sweetness in the air are the most powerful of memories. Nostalgic ones. 

This gives Deanston Orange Wine Cask Finish 17 Year Old a genuine reason to exist. More releases would do well to follow suit.

The Vino de Naranja casks

Deanston’s spirit is thick, waxy, slightly oily, and has a honeyed, malty core. I always think of it like biting into an orange with the skin on. But in a way that isn’t ridiculous and gross. The strength of this spirit means it can take a good bit of cask influence without collapsing.

Fernandez was patient with this one. Given her connection to the spirit, it would have been easy to rush this one out the door through sheer excitement. But she managed to hold back until she felt it ready, until the unique casks in play here were done justice.

 “Whisky will tell you when it’s ready, and the two years in orange wine casks were the perfect sweet spot… to balance the citrus bitterness of the orange wine with Deanston’s honeyed profile.”

That’s after fifteen years in bourbon casks, initially. The foundation brings vanilla, orchard fruit, and soft spice. Then two years in Vino de Naranja casks from Andalucía. This is not trendy skin-contact orange wine, but the proper stuff. Fortified wine made with bitter orange peel. 

No sacred cows here

The distillery isn’t just experimenting for the sake of it. This is what cask finishing looks like when someone actually thinks about it. 

It’s also Deanston pitting its spirit against flavours that aren’t part of the usual Scotch playbook. That’s good. Scotch needs that energy. This is a 17-year-old, 53.6% ABV, £95 bottle with bitter orange, fortified wine influence, and a suggestion to drink it in a Spritz.

Ten years ago, that sentence would have caused a minor meltdown. Now? It feels almost normal. That tells you where whisky is heading. More flexibility and willingness to treat it like something to actually drink. 

It’s also a real path of potential progress for Deanston. How do you stand out in Scotch, among 150+ distilleries, industry giants and shiny new toys everywhere? Become one of the more interesting distilleries. No fireworks or fluff, just good decisions, made at the right time, from sound people. Whisky you can connect with. 

Deanston Orange Wine Cask 17 Year Old tasting note:

Nose: Fresh orange zest, marmalade, and dried apricot with honey, toasted almond, and soft malt. Floral notes and a light herbal edge sit underneath.

Palate: Citrus oils and blood orange up front, then stone fruits, sultanas, and that familiar Deanston biscuit note. Orange blossom honey, ginger, and gentle spice build through the mid-palate.

Finish: Zesty and persistent, with orange peel, light oak, and a dry, slightly bitter edge that keeps it honest.

Overall: When I was a kid, I wouldn’t eat much. Very fussy. Few of you would have had any patience for me, to be honest. My mum let me find my own path, now I eat everything. In the meantime, she would make marmalade sandwiches for me every morning, the only thing I would take to school. Drinking this whisky reminds me of those days. Whisky you can connect with. 

Deanston Orange Wine Cask Orange Spritz recipe:

Prep time: 5 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

40ml Deanston Orange Wine Cask

10ml oloroso sherry

2 dashes of Angostura Orange Bitters

Sparkling Apple Juice, to taste

Handful of cubed ice

Orange peel and a sprig of mint to garnish

Method:

Fill a wine glass generously with a handful of cubed ice. Pour in the Deanston Orange Wine Cask, sherry and bitters.

Give it a gentle then top with sparkling apple juice to taste and garnish with orange peel and a sprig of mint.