Dewar's Scratched Cask

I'll start off with damning by faint praise, and say that it's better than JW Red Label. The nose is bitter, with a lot of chemicals, mostly turpentine and acetone. If you dig around for awhile, you might get a hint of honeysuckle and a fresh floral arrangement. Even after sitting for awhile, the chemicals still persist, albeit at a slightly lower strength. The palate is thin, and if you hunt around for malt, you can find it, but the grains dominate this drink. A hint here or there of heather, honey and vanilla, but it's overshadowed by astringency and cereal notes. The finish is short, and I don't know that I'd want it any other way. It's not spit-it-out bad, but the remainder of this bottle will be used for cooking and a new one will never grace the confines of my whisky rack. I was really hoping this would come through, especially with the glowing praise it received from Mr Mayhew, but in the end, I reaffirmed I don't like anything Dewar's, and confirmed that Mr Mayhew and I have completely different palates.

Sitting in front of the tree on the unbelievably warm December with some Christmas music playing so figure I might as well be sipping a scotch. The initial wave of aromas starts with tangerine with salted caramel. As it opens, over some fair amount of time, cinnamon notes become apparent. A soft, thin texture on the palate that carries caramel, which quickly fades to a bitter orange rind. A small amount of black pepper begins the finish. The palate is left bitter of the rind, with some cinnamon. The addition of a small amount of water mutes the nose somewhat but doesn't alter the aromas. The sweeter side of the dram is drawn out, pulling the bourbon traits of brown sugar and vanilla. Much better dram with water and is a must. Decent for what it is: a blended, sweet, Dewars scotch. The high review sparked my initial interest, but found myself disappointed as I expected more. 79/100][Opened: 12/13/15; Revisited: 1/2/16]

I see this for $12 / bottle (a litre no less) and they're basically begging me to buy it. Fine, in for two. A fascinating love child of scotch and bourbon. Maybe the scotch took a business trip to the States. It met bourbon. They thought it would be a parting fling, a random hookup at the airport bar. Throwing fidelity and vows to the curb, the passionate interlude that wasn't supposed to be anything more than lust turns into a lifetime of child support payments and whispered family secrets. But in this case, that lustful interlude is actually a really oaky, smokey, aroma with a spunky and rich mouthfeel. Lots of vanilla and oak, not much malt whisky flavor, but a fascinating hybrid of scotch and bourbon that works very well. I found this on clearance, hence the low cost.

One of Dewar's better, but it lacks in boldness. This is a very light dram, full of sweetness and fruity tones. With all the mild, florally, airy notes drifting about, it lacks any sort of anchoring flavor to help carry the drinker along the tasting journey. It was pleasant enough to drink (especially at the price point – about $25 at my local liquor store) and offered nice hints of vanilla and molasses, however, the taste dies quickly on the tongue resulting in an entirely unmemorable Scotch. Like a cheap cologne, it comes on strong, offers a hint of depth and complexity, but ultimately falls apart all too quickly.

On the nose I get artificial orange juice, York peppermint patties, and light chocolate. About the same on the palate; everything is very light including hints of cinnamon and pineapple juice. The finish brings vanilla and the mouthfeel of the salt that stays in your mouth after you have bacon and eggs, without the bacon and eggs flavor however. This is a gentle whisky, one that I'd let my dad, sister, or anyone else try that's new to whisky. I think it has its time and place, nothing flashy, but it's enjoyable. I'd compare it to my Aberlour 12 yr Double Cask except toned down and easier to sip.

I bought this one based on the high rating here ( lesson learned----follow recommendations from tried sources, not new ones). The nose is almost like acetone. A smell that jolts memories of my sophomore chem class isn't good. The taste is even worse. No depth or character, with a bitter behind-the-throat scratchy finish. I've not had many blends before--maybe I'm spoiled by the only ones I've had ( Hibiki 12 and 17, and the Compass Box ones). But--spend a few bucks more and get the Compass Box Great King St blend... For a few bucks more, the quality is by far superior.