The innovation, named Dewar’s Japanese Smooth, “harmoniously brings together the best of two whisky-making cultures and traditions from Scotland and Japan in a single bottle,” the company says. This latest edition of the Dewar’s Cask Series features Dewar’s 8-year-old double-aged Scotch whisky which is then finished in Japanese Mizunara Oak casks for six months.
Dewar’s said the resulting whisky is unique and features subtle floral honey and heather notes along with complex sandalwood aromas on the nose followed by cinnamon spice on the palette – a result of the porous qualities of the rare 200-year old Mizunara oak tree variety, also known as the “water oak”, which is used for the Dewar’s cask finish.
“The guiding principles in the creation of this whisky were balance and smoothness. This Mizunara finish enhances the signature Dewar’s heathery floral honeyed notes whilst subtlety imparting complex woody notes of sandalwood and cinnamon spice. It is an indulgent and pleasurable whisky with a rare breadth and depth of complex and subtle flavors. The smooth yet full-bodied finish makes it perfect to enjoy neat, on the rocks, or in a classic Japanese style highball,” says Stephanie Macleod, Master Blender for Dewar’s.
“We are thrilled to launch Dewar’s Japanese Smooth but unlike previous iterations of our Cask Series it will be a permanent addition to our award-winning range of whiskies. We believe this is too good a whisky to keep it to a ‘Limited Edition’ issue and thus far the world’s leading whisky connoisseurs would seem to concur” adds Brian Cox, vp-Dewar’s Scotch Whisky, North America.