THE DEWAR STORY

 DEWAR: ANOTHER GROCER TO WHISKY MAGNATE

A subsidiary of Bacardi since 1998, John Dewar and Sons is a Scottish distiller and whisky blender. The company has five distilleries: Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, MacDuff and Royal Brackla. John Dewar and Sons is headquartered at London Road, Glasgow which is also where the company’s ageing warehouses and blending facilities are sited

The story of the Dewar family and their whisky business is one of entrepreneurialism, creativity, forethought and sheer boldness. In 1846, John Dewar, a grocer who, like most grocers of that time, became dealers in spirits, opened a wine and spirits shop at 111 High Street in Perth. The premises remained in family ownership for the next 50 years, becoming the place of work for many of the 10 children of John and his wife Jane. Much like John Walker, Dewar began blending his own whisky years after setting up shop, until the 1860s when ‘mixture whisky’ was still relatively unknown in the area.

When Dewar died in 1880, the business was left in the hands of sons John Alexander and Thomas Robert (Tommy), who were only 24 and 16 years old respectively at the time. The tenacious Tommy Dewar slipped into London as a 21–year–old in 1885, armed with two sales leads, one of whom proved bankrupt and the other dead. Within a couple of decades, he had befriended the future Edward VII, owned Britain’s third motor car, was fabulously rich and destined for the House of Lords – all because of his single-minded push to build Dewar’s White Label through relentless advertising.

In 1886, the firm was renamed John Dewar & Sons, and Tommy had a firm grasp on the role of spreading the word of the business to London and overseas. In 1892 he set out on a two-year journey around the world, which was immortalised in his book A Ramble Round the Globe. This was an age of horse-drawn carriages and steam engines. Pace was slow and days could be long. Shipping times were uncertain. He also claimed to have invented the original Highball — made with whisky, soda, and ice — while visiting New York. His creative and revolutionary marketing techniques (including throwing empty bottles of Dewar’s overboard with reward notes inside for their finders) eventually became legendary. This extensive sojourn resulted in agents in 26 countries. Its cost of more than £500,000 (US$650,000) in today’s money was soon forgotten as orders began to pour in.

Within a year, business was booming and the company was granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria. Within 20 years they had transformed a prosperous local business into a Scotch whisky powerhouse with a production capacity of 1m gallons, two distilleries and a burgeoning export trade. John handled the business in Scotland while his younger brother was the irrepressible frontman down south.

Tommy Dewar was a master of this new black art, and among his many ‘Dewarisms’ was the doctrine: “Keep advertising and advertising will keep you.” In 1898, he commissioned possibly the first filmed commercial, certainly for spirits, projecting it from the roof of Manhattan’s Pepper Building. It featured four actors in kilts dancing a drunken Highland fling under a Dewar’s banner. It wasn’t subtle, but New Yorkers were amazed. 15 years later, Londoners gawped at a giant illuminated Scotsman by Waterloo Bridge, whose kilt appeared to sway as his hand repeatedly raised a glass of Dewar’s.

The small Tullymet distillery leased by the family could no longer cope with production demands, so in 1898 John Alexander Dewar commissioned their second, the Aberfeldy distillery a few miles away. The following year, the business released its flagship expression – Dewar’s White Label. 

After Queen Victoria’s death and the accession of King Edward VII, John Dewar & Sons’ Royal Warrant was renewed – as it has been by every British monarch since – and Tommy Dewar was knighted.

Following the onset of the First World War and then Prohibition in the US, the company merged with Distillers Company Ltd in 1925 to help secure the future of the industry. It remained a separate fiefdom within DCL and was free to compete with its stablemates. In 1980 it replaced J&B as the top Scotch in America, and in six years was claiming a US market share of 15%, yet there were no real efforts to create a premium tier. If fans of ‘Doo­ers’ wanted to trade up they were cordially invited to drink Johnnie Walker Black, Blue or Gold.

The group eventually ended up in the hands of Diageo through a series of mergers, but in 1998 was sold to Bermuda-based rum group Bacardi, along with Bombay Sapphire gin. Bacardi’s first move was to instigate a packaging update for the brand and establish a home for it. In 2000, Dewar’s World of Whisky was opened at Aberfeldy distillery, which now attracts over 30,000 visitors a year. 

In the US there’s nothing ‘moderately well­-known’ about Dewar’s White Label, which was sold for an estimated US$1.4bn. It “was then, and still is, the number-­one Scotch whisky by the label in the US”, according to Bacardi. Johnnie Walker may be a bigger brand in the States, but it seemed White Label was the country’s favourite single bottle of Scotch.

Bacardi saw the potential to grow into the premium and ultra­premium segments and launched Dewar’s 12, 15 and 18-Year Old. The labels on the new DEWAR’S bottles incorporated special features to help consumers discover the stories behind the Scotch whisky. In addition, all DEWAR’S premium and super-premium whiskies carry individual statements of ageing and provenance. As a nod to its heritage and exceptional craft, each bottle of DEWAR’S Signature comes with a unique certificate of authenticity, signed by the Master Blender.

The most distinctive feature of the new DEWAR’S look is the trefoil Celtic truth knot that has been embossed onto the glass of every bottle. A visual representation of DEWAR’S strength and longevity shows three interlocking D's that represent the three men who created the company that endures to this day — John Dewar and his sons, John Alexander Dewar and Tommy Dewar.

With demand for premium Scotch whisky growing worldwide, in 2007 Bacardi invested US$250m in expanding production capacity at its Glasgow site and developing a new maturation facility at Poniel. 

The brand made its first venture into ‘flavoured Scotch’ with the introduction of Dewar’s Highlander Honey in 2013, while a second brand makeover was implemented in 2014. A new no-age-statement expression called Scratched Cask was introduced in May 2015. The Highlander Honey launch proved contentious and was quietly dropped, as was the case with the disparaged Drinking Man campaign of 2012.

In 2017, the company introduced Dewar’s 25 Year Old to its core range as a replacement for Dewar’s Signature; two years later, the first of a planned series of ‘innovative’ finishes, Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth (extra-matured in rum casks) was launched in North America. They were subsequently bottled at 46% ABV, sans chill filtration/ addition of e-150A Caramel colour.

Dewar's is certainly doing well in the US. As one of the classic blends, Dewar’s has retained its reputation as an accessible, smooth Scotch while modernising its range in recent years, with its White Label at its core, which delivers the brand’s signature soft honey, vanilla and floral flavours; Besides the 12 YO, 8/15/18/21/25/27 and 32-year-old expressions are also available. It won 14 of the 15 slots available for Blended Scotch whiskies at the 2021 International Whisky Competition. Revered by discerning Scotch whisky drinkers around the globe, John Dewar & Sons has won more than 500 medals for quality and taste.

               

Then came the Double Series, first with 21 and 27 YO whiskies. The 25 and 32 YO were to follow. Dewar’s takes pride in their double ageing process. They are masters in ageing their blended whisky, so going one step forward was a natural progression. But instead of going for a triple ageing process, they’ve decided that a fourth ageing stage would be key for their new range of blends: Dewar’s Double Double.

In 2019, Stephanie Macleod, the seventh master distiller at Dewar’s, used her award-winning idea by ageing the whiskies an additional year in a separate family of casks to create a new range of award-winning ‘Double Double’ whiskies. She added a 32 YO to this range.

To do so, they first aged their single grains and single malts in oak barrels, as normal. Then, they blended each style, ageing a blend of their sourced grain and a blend of their sourced malt in a new set of oak barrels, albeit still separately at this stage. The third step of the process was the ageing of the married grain and malt whiskies in another set of exhausted oak barrels. The cherry on top for the Dewar’s Double Double 21 is the Oloroso Sherry cask finish.

Dewar’s Double Double 21-year-old is bottled at 46% ABV in 50cl bottles (all double-doubles are). The bottles show a completely different style from Dewar’s. The bottle is shaped like a diamond and showcases a more simple label.

They are found to be excellent sipping whiskies. They are exceptionally smooth, delicate, and nuanced, featuring a spectrum of flavours, depth of intensity, layers of complexity, and individual characters. It’s not common to find 27-and 32-YO expressions on the shelves, let alone with such cask finishes.

The 21-Year-Old

Appearance: The colour of the whisky is mahogany.

Nose: On the nose is sweet, highlighting honey and vanilla aromas but also an intense sherry touch. There are fruity notes of peaches and baked apples, with a citrus note of orange peel. It is spicy, with intense black pepper notes and a touch of roasted meat. There are also some notes of toasted oak and nuts.

Palate: On the palate, it bursts with intense fruit notes and a strong character. There are peaches, pears, and ripe grapes, but also a citrus touch. It is spicy, highlighting cinnamon and white pepper notes. A touch of coffee and chocolate gives more presence to the palate, adjusting discretely the oak notes. Towards the end, the Oloroso notes come to the foreground.

Finish: The finish is long and pointy, with a sherry touch.

Overall: To produce a blend you need an incredible capacity to balance all the ingredients perfectly. Dewar’s Double Double 21 is a fantastic sample of how to make a quality blend. It has enough character (probably because it is bottled at 46% abv) to give a full flavour. But it is also quite balanced, or “smooth” as Dewar’s says, to nimbly pass through the palate.

The Price: An expensive 50 Cl for € 60/-

The 27-Year-Old

To repeat, Double Double maturation is a four-stage ageing process. The first step involves single malts and single grains which have been aged separately for two years less than the stated age. Then the single malts are blended together and rested in exhausted casks for six months. The single grains are also processed in the very same fashion. Then, the blended single malts and blended single grains that have been rested are blended together and again rested in exhausted casks for six months. Finally, the blended scotch finishes its maturation in Sherry casks for twelve to fifteen months. This final Sherry cask is different for each expression. What is not revealed in all three Double Doubles is their mash bill.

Dewar’s Double Double Aged 27 Years Old – Finished in Palo Cortado Sherry casks, a rarity. This blend should deliver heady, aromatic, floral notes with honeyed fruits and subtle spice and the characteristic silky smooth finish.

Appearance: The 27 year is very clear and the colour of clover honey syrup – a touch paler than the 21-year-old. The whisky beads and slowly forms thick tears.

Nose: The nose is heavy with notes of nougat and almonds, peach nectar, apricots and dried rose petals then a distinct dry Sherry note — slightly salty, slightly sour, slightly mushroomy.

Palate: The palate has less overt Sherry character than expected, though leather and mushroom are dominant, along with some nutty chocolate bar notes. As it sets in the glass, a tiny whiff of smoke emerges: smouldering straw and brown sugar. Oddly, the entire thing comes together as somewhat more youthful than the age stated.

Finish: Lengthy, with more citrus apparent. Certainly zesty.

The Price €150

Overall: Dewar's 27-Year Double Double may be the most untamed by sherry casks of the whiskies in the line. The expression does seem hot for an old whisky! But this whisky has a lot going for it; all the interesting notes. A subtle fruitiness with muted spices and a hint of ginger. The good news is that the variations in woodwork show a positive influence. Best appreciated neat rather than with water as H2O amplifies spice and suppresses honey and caramel.

The 32-Year-Old

Dewar's Double Double 32 Year is a Blended Scotch crafted by master blender Stephanie Macleod which is aged in a four-stage ageing process. Its 32nd year is spent in an ex-Pedro Ximenez Sherry cask.

The Double Doubles are 46% ABV and have an undisclosed mash bill, though they are all blended Scotch whiskies. The 32-year-old is aged in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and retails at $250 for 500mL.

Appearance: In the glass, the 32-year-old looks like blackberry honey – just a hint of red. It quickly forms fat tears.

Nose: Aromas of chimney smoke predominate, underlaid with pectin-heavy peach crisp. Toasted bread and caramel sauce notes follow.

Palate: The whisky equivalent of holding a puppy: sweet and warm. Balanced spice and stone fruit, a memory of smoke and a long finish of white flowers. The mouthfeel is heavy, but the spirit is not at all cloying or overwhelmed by the sherry.

Finish: The finish is enduring but sharp and a bit tight, showing fortified wine notes and plenty more of that classic PX character. One to really pore over as it slowly reveals its charms, becoming silky smooth.

Overall: Finally the Double Double concept seems worth it. Smooth and pretty, a truly enjoyable spirit.

Price: €230 for 50Cl. The most full-bodied in the Double Double line, it would make an excellent nightcap. Worth a splurge if you can afford it.

THE COMPONENT SINGLE MALTS IN THE WHITE LABEL

The Aberfeldy single malts are the most pronounced in Dewar’s blends, making up the largest percentage. They are considered the heart of the blend. Aberfeldy’s single malts carry a pronounced honey flavour, with oak and nuts—and many of their older malts carry a raisin-like sweetness followed by subtle spice.

Aultmore is close to the heart! Running the stills slow helps to maximise reflux, but the shape also allows some heavier elements to come across. In character, therefore, Aultmore is fragrant on the nose and substantial on the tongue. In fact, so highly prized is it as a blending malt that it is said that when Bacardi was in the process of buying Dewar’s from Diageo, it was willing to walk away from the deal if Aultmore wasn’t included.

The Craigellachie Distillery produces signature Speyside whiskies. This distillery, however, features something very unique in the world of Scotch distillation with their new make spirit entering worm tubs on the distillery rooftop, directly impacting the whisky flavour profile. Craigellachie’s historic distillery and their superior single malts lend their sweetness to the Dewar’s range, the White Label in particular.

Royal Brackla produces delicate, complex single malts with fruitier notes, and a bit of leafiness. It factors prominently within Dewar’s blends.

A modern distillery, Macduff, the whisky of which is bottled by its owner as either Glen Deveron or The Deveron. 

Dailuaine, once owned by Dewar & Sons, produces a heavy ‘meaty’ make thanks to long fermentation, rapid distillation and the use of stainless steel in the condensers to cut down on copper interaction. The ex-Sherry cask finish shows this mix of richness and sweetness.

Miltonduff, with a very fresh, floral new make character shows out to be a charming, light single malt, perfect for adding top notes to a restrained and elegant blend. Its palate has a succulent texture.