Deanston 1999 rarely disappoints me and this selection of Klubb23 is a hit as far as I'm concerned! It is not easy charmer, not everyone's friend, but it gets better with the sip.

Nose: first a layer of dust, but we'll get through that quickly. Fresh nose, pine, briny, grasses, slightly bitter, pink grapefruit, green tea, a hint of anise. Quite complex and give it the necessary time.

Taste: creamy mouthfeel, somewhat like liquorice, anise, cooked green vegetables, something meaty, but also some gingerbread, bitter and certainly spicy!

Finish: long warming, herbal, slightly dark brown sugar and on black pepper.

Excellent whisky!

The Creature

The member of Klubb23 – yes, there’s only 23 of them, hence the name – selected this 20 years old Deanston and put the Creature of the Black Lagoon on the label. ‘Wild and distinguished’, they call it. Let’s find out. It is very, very pale.

Freshy nose on green tea, young apples, aniseed and coriander and some green garden herbs. Very herbal, in fact, with a salty edge. Seems a little atypical for Deanston, but certainly interesting.

It’s nicely creamy on the palate and a lot sweeter then the nose promised. Very spicy. It prickles on the tongue on white pepper and ginger with a touch of liquorice and some quinine. Reminds me also of the bitter and sour juice of a grapefruit. The salty and herbal character shows itself again, but is kept sweet enough with a truckload of vanilla and icing sugar. It does not turn astringent.

I get a warm, spicy, sweet finish with a salty edge. Pineapple at the death!

Can you call a whisky complex, because it is somewhat difficult? I think so. Interesting Deanston.