Deanston

Deanston Virgin

Turning a cotton mill into a distillery was the (successful) gamble of the Brodie Hepburn (whisky broker) company in 1966. And for good reason: the powerful river Teith adjacent to the distillery, a community with a great work ethic and barley plantations nearby.

Located 8 miles from Stirling near Doune and only 45 minutes from Edinburgh and Glasgow, Deanston Distillery sits on the banks of the River Teith at the entrance to the spectacular Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. The huge cotton mill was built in 1785 by Richard Arkwright (a great inventor of the time) and had one of the biggest waterwheels in Europe.

The distillery can boast to be one of the greenest distilleries in Scotland. All its power is generated by a turbine which processes 20 million litres of water per hour. The excess electricity is then sold to the national grid. The minerals in the granite will enrich and soften the water in the River Teith for optimum results in whisky production.

Despite the young age of the distillery, the production process is traditional and authentic to produce an exceptional whisky. A partnership with local malting barley growers allows only Scottish raw materials to be sourced before being milled and controlled by hand to ensure the perfect starch extract. Once ground, the grist goes into the open top mash tun, one of the few still in use in Scotland, where it is mixed with hot water. The wort created, will slowly flow through the perforated copper floor for fermentation. Everything is measured and meticulously recorded. The liquid then flows to the Wash Back for fermentation. The yeast and wort sugars interact and turn into alcohol. This process takes an average of 100 hours and is exceptionally long, producing the fruity and many other complex flavours that define a Deanston whisky. When ready, the wash is then transferred to the wash stills. The whisky is distilled twice to leave only the heart. This precious cut is transferred to spirit tank number one where it is reduced with water from the River Teith to 63.5%. The distillation team then decant the liquid into oak casks which are placed in the old weaving shed of the mill until fully matured.

Long fermentation and slow distillation help to create a delicate and powerful spirit. The result is a smooth, unpeated Scotch whisky with notes of honey and heather.