Deanston 23 Year Old Oloroso Matured

Nose: Mild honey aromas meet smooth malt scents. Hints of grass and hay appear, followed by walnuts and leather over time. It vaguely resembles a middle-aged Glenfarclas. Later, dried fruit and spice, particularly cinnamon and allspice, become dominant. Adding water reveals many floral scents with a deep, alluring character – old rose, acacia, iris, and jasmine – plus sandalwood, again reminiscent of Glenfarclas. Palate: A dry, firm, and spicy start that briefly, surprisingly turns sweet with flavors of old dried fruits like dates, figs, currants, and sour cherries. However, an equally sudden rush of overwhelming, astringent spice follows. It strongly brings to mind walnut and banana bread with a topping of baked bitter orange peel. As this flavor wave recedes, a powerful sherry presence becomes undeniable. The palate then moves through sweet malt, tart/sour fruit, bittersweet dark chocolate, and finally settles into a taste of aged oak that leads into the finish. Finish: Medium to long. Flowing smoothly from the palate, dry and very tannic sherry notes gradually fade into a lasting impression of an oloroso cask with faint traces of black tea and strawberry jam. This is definitely a dram for enthusiasts and would likely overwhelm beginners. The nose is powerful and very expressive neat, but becomes subdued with water. While I appreciated the floral notes from the water, I preferred it undiluted. On the palate, water significantly softens the initial impact by revealing considerable sweetness, though the subsequent wave of astringent spice remains. The palate is generally more accessible with water, but something is also diminished. The over-brewed tea note intensifies, introducing a previously undetected minty character, and the strong oloroso influence recedes. A very dry single malt with a superb nose of balanced complexity, and a palate that nearly, but not quite, matches it. Sampled from a 30ml pour, gratitude to a friend for sending this from Glasgow. "Good": 84/100 (3.75)