Highland distillery Deanston has announced the launch of a new limited-edition single malt, Deanston Orange Wine Cask Finish 17 Year Old, set to roll out this spring. The expression has been curated by Master Blender Julieann Fernandez and combines the distillery’s waxy house style with a two-year finishing period in Vino de Naranja casks sourced from Andalucía.
The resulting whisky delivers a flavour profile that balances bitter citrus with notes of stone fruit, honey and toasted nuts. Ms Fernandez, among the industry’s youngest master blenders, drew directly on her Spanish heritage when developing the release. With family roots in Andalucía and time spent living in southern Spain, she said her personal connection to the region informed both cask selection and flavour direction. “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 – the sights, the smell and the taste of the orange trees which surround the area,” she said. “Those experiences have stayed with me and shaped how I think about flavour and whisky.”
The whisky was matured for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks before undergoing a two-year finish in Vino de Naranja casks, a fortified wine made using bitter orange peel. According to the distillery, this cask type is less common than skin-contact orange wine and aligns closely with Deanston’s spirit character. Ms Fernandez emphasised the importance of precision in the finishing process, noting that each cask presented different flavour concentrations, requiring extensive sampling to achieve the desired balance. “Whisky will tell you when it’s ready, and the two years in orange wine casks were the perfect sweet spot for this release to balance the citrus bitterness of the orange wine with Deanston’s honeyed profile,” she said.
The release follows a previous tequila cask expression and reflects Deanston’s continued focus on experimental maturation while maintaining its core spirit identity. Positioned for consumers seeking both authenticity and flavour innovation, the whisky is intended to be versatile in serve, from neat to highball or spritz.
Deanston Orange Wine Cask Finish 17 Year Old will be limited to 7,000 bottles globally. It launches on 26 March 2026 through selected specialist retailers and online, with an RRP of £95 for a 70cl bottle at 53.6% ABV.
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