I am always looking for exciting whisky at a reasonable price. Call it the frugal Dutch side of me, but I don’t think expensive necessarily equals good. These last couple of years, I have managed to find great blends and single malt whiskies at affordable prices. Whiskies that you can buy 2 or 3 bottles of and not survive on dry bread for the rest of the month.
I publish my top 5 affordable single malt and blends list yearly. This year, however, has been a challenge. I am over the halfway mark, and I have not found too many delicious “new” affordable drams. My top 5 list was looking a bit bare.
That was until I tasted something at the Wade Bales whisky show. I tasted the Dewar’s 12 year old blended Scotch whisky, and immediately my Top 5 list started looking better.
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It is not a very well known brand in SA, so I went to investigate. The Dewar’s brand was established in 1846 by a wine and spirit merchant, John Dewar in Perth Scotland. John blended his own whisky and bottled it under his name. John’s two sons joined the business and in 1884 expansion started on the London market, and soon after, America beckoned.
Even President Benjamin Harrison was a fan. The Dewar brothers expanded their portfolio by building the Aberfeldy Distillery in 1896, and the brand went from strength to strength. Today the John Dewar’s & Sons company owns four other distilleries. The distilleries include Aultmore, Craigellachie, Macduff and Royal Bracka.
Bacardi owns John Dewar’s & Sons and other releases in the Dewar’s stable include the Dewar’s White Label and a Dewar’s 18 year old. The Dewar’s 12 year old is double aged as the whisky is married in oak casks after the initial maturation and blending.
Dewar’s 12 year old Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 43%
COLOUR: Golden sun-kissed wheat
NOSE: Delicate and sweet with tropical and sweet oak spices. Bananas and pineapple balanced with malts and honey. There are hints of cut flowers and bits of cinnamon.
PALATE: The Dewar’s 12 year old Scotch is light and fruity. Honey sweetness mixed with ripe summer fruits, oak and malt. It is smooth and easy drinking with a medium body. You barely need to add any water; just a few drops to release more sweetness and complexity.
FINISH: Ends on notes of honey, malt and black pepper.
RATING: EXCELLENT
What a beautiful blend! Light and floral, this Dewar‘s 12 year old blended whisky is perfect for someone who wants to try whisky for the first time. It is a delicious summer dram to enjoy during the hot summer.
This bottle will not last long, and at the price point, replacing the bottle is not a problem. This blend retails for around R300 in South Africa. It is cheaper than the Johnnie Walker Black.
This Dewar’s 12 year old whisky is worthy of a taste. I managed to get my hands on the Dewar’s 15 year old and loved it just as much.
Also Read: Chivas Regal 12 yo whisky
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