Older equals better, pt2: a well-aged blend to the rescue?

In the first episode of this series, I considered the fact that there’s something to be said for a well- aged whisky, as it’s able to bring that unique richness and balance between maturity and flavour. The benchmark for this, I argued, was the Bunnahabhain 18 year old. Seeing how this particular whisky is slowly but steadily creeping away from us in terms of affordability (it used to be a €100-€120 whisky, these days it’s easily north of €150 and usually around €175 even), I find myself in need of a raplcement for my 'gold standard' of high end = high quality' whisky. So apart from reviewing a couple of higher age  / high end whiskies, searching for an alternative to replace my beloved Bunna 18, has become something of a side quest as well.

As is often the case with things, today’s whisky comes with a fair dose of serendipity, as I was recently gifted a sample of this well-aged blended scotch that, seemingly out of nowhere, bagged a nomination in this years’ OSWA’s too.

Dewar’s 21 yo Double Double. 46% ABV,  oloroso cask finish, (50 cl bottling),  UCF, possibly coloured, app. €85-€100

As far as main stream, big blending companies go, I feel as if Dewar’s from time to time likes to leave the beaten path a bit to cater for people beyond the stage of occasional whisky consumers, by releasing whiskies that, on paper at least, may tickle our fancy. In recent years, they’ve released their ‘smooth cask series’ which took it a step further than their standard blend, by releasing 5 whiskies  with an age statement (8years) and different finishes (mezcal, port, calvados, mizunara and rum) – all of them reasonably priced around €25-€30, offering the keen-to-explore-whisky newbie a nice little variety of what whisky can be. Nothing groundbreaking, but definitely interesting.  The more concerning enthusiast is being catered to by their ‘Double-Double’ series that started off in 201. All of these whiskies are carrying a higher age statement (21 – 27 and 32 years old), and each was finished in a different style of sherry casks. The key to these whiskies, so they claim, is their ‘unique’ four stage ageing process, as initially single grains an single malts are matured separately, before blending together the grains and malts again separately, which are then to be married together in the third maturation face prior to being brought together for a finish in the sherry casks (in the case of the 21 yo, it’s oloroso casks, whereas the 27 and 32 year old expressions are finished in Palo Cortado casks and PX casks respectively).

I’m not at all sure how unique this way of maturing and blending is exactly, but it makes for an interesting story to market and brand these releases. In any case, it's a relief to see a big player in the whisky field keeping the marketing flannel to a bare minimum, with factual information even taking the lead - which is always the way to go, so that’s points in the bag already as far as I’m concerned.

Furthermore, the 21 yo is released at a rather attractive pricepoint – typically €100 although I’ve seen it around for about €85 as well. Even taking into consideration that these are released in 50 cl bottles, this price point seems fair. That said, the older age statements are rapidly and steadily cruising away from most of us as the 27 yo comes in at around €180, and the €32 yo is all over the place in terms of prices, sitting in the €200-€300 range depending on your location. For 50 cl bottles of blended whisky, I can’t but feel that prices like these are asking a bit much,  both from us and  the whisky itself.

In any case, time to focus on this 21 yo. I was a bit  surprised to see it bag a nomination in the  best blend category in this years’ OSWA’s, mainly because there have been quite a lot of producers and brands that, contrary to a big, global producer such as  Dewar’s, are firmly on many a whisky enthusiast’s radar (a lot of Compass Box, different releases coming from Loch Lomond, and not in the least both Thompson Brothers’ and  Adelphi’s successful and applauded expressions of TB/BSW  and  Maclean’s Nose). But more power to them of course, because being put in a line-up with the likes of the ones mentioned above, should already  be telling us something. So imagine my joy as round about the same time, I was gifted a sample of this very expression. Having a 21 yo blend available at a decent price point is one thing, but obviously  it’s even better if you find yourself in a ‘try before you buy’ position.

Nose

Despite the finish in oloroso casks, it initially comes across as a cool/chilled/cold experience. As in: not warming. There’s lots and lots of raisins and cherries, with some damp earth and wood notes underneath. A classic, well balanced, oloroso cask driven nose as spices and Christmas cake join the party. A drop of water and it becomes even more fruity and driven by spices.

Palate

Basically: copy-paste the nose and you’re there, albeit that the wood is more dominant on the tongue. Bitter chocolate, cold brew coffee and treacle, which become even more outspoken after adding a drop of water.

Finish

Medium-long, with quite a lot of wood and very, very drying.

Final thoughts

As said, this is presented at an attractive price point and it also has to be said that it’s a very decent whisky. The oloroso casks are doing a lot of the talking, up to the point where they’re even hiding the grain whiskies in here. In this particular case I’ll argue that such is a bit of a pity, seeing how this is so cask driven.  A bit of a grain whisky lightness could perhaps have brought a bit of balance and more layers to this whisky, but this has now become so much about the sherry casks, that it’s also a tad generic, perhaps? Absolutely palatable, rather affordable and overall firmly enjoyable, but still miles away from knocking me off my feet. 84/100

Next week, I’ll wave goodbye to 2023, trying 3 higher age/higher end  single malts whiskies, hoping at least one of them will proof  a worthy replacement for the Bunna 18 yo. 3d time ‘s the charm, after all.