Dewar's

Dewar’s is Scotland’s most exported blended Scotch whisky, founded in Perth in 1846 by John Dewar and now produced at Aberfeldy Distillery in Perthshire. The house style is built around a proprietary double-aging process — the blended whisky is returned to oak casks after initial blending for additional maturation, a technique that produces a rounder, more integrated character than most blended Scotch at the same price point.

John Dewar was one of the first whisky merchants to bottle and brand his own blended Scotch at a time when most whisky was sold in bulk from barrels. His sons expanded the brand globally, and by the early 20th century Dewar’s White Label had become one of the most recognizable Scotch brands in the world. The distillery and brand are now owned by Bacardi.

The Dewar’s Lineup

Dewar’s White Label — The flagship. Light, smooth, and vanilla-forward with apple and honey. The most widely consumed Dewar’s expression globally and the standard for accessible blended Scotch. Dewar’s 12 Year — The double-aged premium tier. More complexity and depth than White Label — toffee, dried fruit, and gentle spice. Dewar’s 15 Year — A 15-year double-aged blend with richer caramel, orange peel, and toasted oak character. Dewar’s 18 Year — The premium end of the core range. Substantial, complex, and elegant — dark fruit, chocolate, and spice. Dewar’s 25 Year — The prestige expression. Long-aged, richly layered, and designed for sipping. Dewar’s Japanese Smooth — Double-aged, then finished in Japanese Mizunara oak for exotic incense and spice notes. Dewar’s Portuguese Smooth — Double-aged, then finished in Portuguese wine casks for fruit and sweetness.

Browse all Scotch whisky at Wooden Cork, or explore personalized bottle engraving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dewar’s double aging?

After blending the malt and grain whiskies together, Dewar’s returns the blend to oak casks for additional maturation — a second period of aging after the initial blend is created. This “marrying” process integrates the component whiskies more thoroughly than blends that are bottled immediately after blending, producing a rounder, more unified character. It is the defining production technique of the Dewar’s house style.

What is the difference between Dewar’s White Label and 12 Year?

Both use the same double-aging process. White Label uses younger component whiskies and delivers a lighter, more neutral character ideal for mixing. The 12 Year uses older components and the double-aging produces noticeably more complexity — toffee, dried fruit, and gentle spice — at a price point still well suited for everyday sipping.

What is Dewar’s Japanese Smooth?

The standard Dewar’s 8 Year double-aged blend finished in Japanese Mizunara oak casks. Mizunara is a rare Japanese oak that imparts incense, sandalwood, and coconut notes not found in American or European oak — giving this expression a distinctly exotic character compared to the core range.