Its location on the river bank meant that the former mill was an ideal candidate to be used for whisky production and Deanston Distillers Ltd was founded in 1966. The refurbishment cost £300,000 and took nine months, adding in four copper stills and a tun room.
It was opened in January 1967 by TV actor Andrew Cruikshank and its first single malt was released in 1971, known as Old Bannockburn, while the first bottle of first bottle of Deanston Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky was released in 1974. However, around 85% of the whisky produced at Deanston goes into blends.
Deanston Distillery was mothballed in 1982, but brought back to life again in 1990 with new owners and has gone from strength to strength since, opening a visitor centre in 2012 and featuring in Ken Loach’s film The Angels’ Share.
Deanston’s single malts are made in a very traditional manner with no modern technology involved and have a light, nutty, malty character.