Dewar's White Label

Basic Dewar's blend, thought of mainly as a mixer (check the attached pic and you'll a terrible high glass filled with terrible ice cubes) but not as bas as I first believed when sipped on its own (well, on ice.)

This review was scribbled down in some paper napkin at a dark and forgettable bar, back in Nov 2015. For your enjoyment, here I type it down now, five years afterwards.

A pale golden pour delivering aromas of breakfast cereal, cashew, oranges, pineapple and even custard apple. Nice. Mouthfeel is oilier than expected, and slightly more powerful than the ABV made me foresee. Finish has a decent bitterness and a medium-lasting persistence that add to my liking this blend above some of its direct competitors, even though it's clearly a mixer.

Well, since I have some time (too much time), let's do a few Dewars. Or should I say, Dew a Few Dewars? How's that for branding, eh??

This is their current White Label bottling, which has what I presume is a batch number (CR-0078) and a bottle code (L19332ZA102 1250). Their entry level bottling is blended from up to 40 malt and grain whiskies, with an emphasis on Aberfeldy (and likely the other Bacardi malts: Aultmore, Craigellachie, Royal Brackla and Macduff).

The colour is a pale gold. On the nose it's full-on heather honey, marzipan, melon, baked apple and lemon pith. Slightly floral. Mildly spicy with cinnamon. Easy, approachable nose; don't bother adding water.

Fruitier on the palate, and maltier than you might think for an entry-level blend. A touch spicier with some chili, but mostly it's Anjou pear, cantaloupe and grapefruit, while continuing on with the honey theme. Creamy mouthfeel, but dryer with water. Quite decent.

The finish is long and dry with a bit of oak and black pepper. A good standard blend to keep around the house, it's neither outstanding nor astringent or off-putting. Smooth, fruity with some honey and a bit of spice to liven things up. Now, according to the label, "Dewar's Never Varies". But what if we took a time machine back to the 1960s....

My Scotch taste typically runs to the Islays, with some Highlands thrown in for good measure. But sometimes on those steamy summer days, those whiskies are just too heavy. Upon recommendation of my Father In Law, I gave Dewar's White Label a try, and I can say I was wonderfully and pleasantly surprised. I had it on the rocks on a hot day, and it was just perfect. Now this is no major complex whisky, with many layers of flavor and a long lingering aftertaste. It's slightly smoky, lots of malt, and some notes of honey and some hints of grass and other florals. I had it in a tall cocktail glass, with lots of ice. I let it sit for just a few minutes and then couldn't put it down. Having it on the rocks with no mixers is a wonderful drink on a warm evening. I may try it with a splash of soda and a squeeze of lemon next time. I believe I paid about $18 for this bottle, and at that price it's a bargain.