Dewar's Caribbean Smooth

After recently reviewing pours from the 12/15/18 year bottles I got for Xmas, this was a budget buy that I thought would be at the very least interesting. I’ve started to get used to the different sherry and wine finishes but not even sure I’ve had a rum finish. The nose is soft and sweet, with butterscotch and vanilla leading the way. Those aromas don’t put up much of a fight though, they quickly fold into cereal and ethanol. Still enjoyable, but you can tell you paid 33 CAD for the bottle. The palate is more interesting than the nose, if just slightly. It leads with a bit of a syrupy sweetness, not like honey or fruit or maple.. just sugary. It then transitions to classic blended scotch territory, giving you malted grain, earthy umami notes and ending with some faint baking spices. The finish might be the most unexpected of all, it actually builds from the somewhat flat palate. Dry notes from the wood initially, but then an unexpected shot of sweetness which actually does make a nice finish. Is it great? No, but it’s cheaper then JW Red here, and only 5 dollars more then White Label which I despise. For a budget blended scotch, this is sweet and easy and all I wish is that is had some smoke.

Nose: Quite soft and mellow, with caramel, brown sugar and tropical fruits really standing out from the typical Dewar's profile. I'm surprised it smells so much like rum after 6 months in rum casks. Nevertheless, it smells just fine for what it's written out to be. Taste: Smooth and immediately on the sweet side. Lots of caramel and brown sugar here, plus tropical fruits. The classic Dewar's barebones are hiding just beneath the surface though. This whisky really feels like they mashed two very different drinks together. It's not bad, but not a very finely crafted blend. Finish: Short and sweet. That is, very much on the sweet side of things. Final thoughts: This tastes like an honest 8 years in blends plus 6 months in rum casks. It's a decent enough blend where the grain doesn't overpower the palette proper. If you like caramel and sugar in your whisky then dive right in. I would rather have some proper malt though. Oh and this is undeniably preferable to the Tullamore Rum Cask finish (yeah, the so-called XO that tastes about half as old as this Dewar's).

The name should be "Taint's Scotch" Taint smooth, taint scotch, taint Dewars. A strange frankenscotch that combines the harshness of rum with the roughness of young grain whisky scotch. Look, I'm not some malt whisky elitist. I like a fine blended scotch any day of the week, and I really like Dewars 12. But as a Scotch goes, the Caribbean Smooth just doesn't work. It's at best a half step up from Dewars white label, but so is a hot cup of vinegar with a pair of dentures floating in it. The juice here is rather rambunctious, uncouth, blend that is part scotch and heavy rum. It's rather impressive really how the rum character comes though. Now, if you're the type that's into making your own drink creations, this has some interesting potential because of it's hybrid nature. But as a sipper, even on ice, it's a bit of a confused mess. The good news is that it's only $22 a bottle. But for the money, I'd rather get Chivas 12 or Monkey Shoulder.

Aromas of brown sugar, ripe banana, lemon, lanolin, leather, and a touch of passion fruit. Round mouthfeel. On the palate, more brown sugar, lemon, passion fruit, and lanolin – with a medium-long finish dominated by oak and baking spices. 3.25/5.00 – Quite Good (neat)

Great budget scotch. Very approachable, sweet, vanilla, oaky, with a wisp of smoke, it definitely goes down smooth. It has more depth than the original, but don’t expect to be blowin’ away for $25, you get what you pay for. It’s no single malt, but gets the job done.

I like this whisky. Sweeter than average though not cloying, and I get hints of rum from the finishing barrels. It would be great for any cocktail on the sweet side, though I've been drinking it straight on ice. Very affordable.