Malt Mission 2007 #95

Dewar's Signature
Blended Scotch Whisky
43% abv
£180
$200(USD)

Another week, another 5 drams. Thanks again for reading.
Next week will be week 20 (TWENTY!!!)
And will bring us up to Malt Mission 100 (ONE HUNDERED!!!)
So we hope to have a few fun surprises to commemorate(SURPRISES!).

To wind off this week, I am tasting Dewar's super-hyper-ultra premium expression of their world famous blended whisky. Other Dewar's HERE.

This is effectively Dewars' response to Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Chivas' Royal Salute, Cutty Sark 25yo, etc. Jim Murray called it "an outstanding addition to the highest echelons of blended Scotch."

Tom Aitken, the 6th Master Blender in Dewar's history, created this blend out of very mature Aberfledy (27yo) as well as old and rare whisky from all over Scotland. Not since the advertising campaigns of Tommy Dewar, with calls to be a 'Dewar's Man', has the company used age or exclusivity to pursue the 'upper crust' of the market. With the introduction of the 12yo in 2002, the 18, and this Signature, all that changed.

In the UK, Dewar's Signature comes in as the most expensive of the immediate competitors (JWBlue, Royal Salute, Cutty 25). In the US, it is price pointed to be in-line with Johnnie Walker Blue ($200). Before you email me, YES, it can be found cheaper. That is called 'freedom'.

Big thanks to Michael and Royal Mile Whiskies for sharing a few drops.

TASTING NOTES:

Fresh and fruity off the start, soft and sweet with lots of honey and berries. Chocolate and cream. Some aged grain whisky, corn and some sweet smoke. Earl Grey tea. Satsuma tangerine Body Shop soap. Like with the Dewars 18, one can sense the growth of the malt flavours in the glass.

Gentle, but active. Christmas-y spices and apricots. A bit of baby powder. French toast/eggy bread. Burst of dry sherry that comes and then goes, firesmoke, and then some pine or sappy oak. Flavours linger through the finish, but in a subdued manner, with the more aged malts making their presence known.

SUMMARY:

As above, time really lets this dram open up, and is needed to fully appreciate the depth. Nose just keeps on giving, but the ride on the palate is a bit short. Seems quite expensive for what it offers flavour-wise, but certainly not disappointing. The bottle is pretty cool, too, especially the deceptively heavy stopper.

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