Normally I wouldn't go out of my way to pick up a bottle of Dewar's White Label for purposes of getting a bottle that I want to eventually review and put on my site. However, since this bottle was given to me as a gift (or, more accurately, left at my house by a friend who certainly knew better than to think I wouldn't drink it), I thought I'd go ahead and convey my thoughts on the matter.
Dewar's White Label is and always will be in my mind my Airport Hotel Scotch. It seems that whenever I travel for work and stay at a hotel near an airport, I can always count on White Label being stocked behind the bar. I have yet to find an airport hotel with great whiskey selection. Perhaps I'm not researching well enough before I travel. In any event, I find myself frequently enjoying a glass of White Label while sitting by myself at an airport hotel bar.
That being said, though, I really do enjoy the stuff. As a blended Scotch, it certainly differs from the traditional Scotch profiles, though it remains unquestionably a Scotch. Up front it hits you with a smokey vanilla flavor, underscored by a not-so-subtle oakiness to it. Most noticeable, though, is the spice.
This particular blended Scotch has a serious bite to it that I don't frequently find in Scotches. It's akin to the bite that I enjoy in my ryes. It has a great blend of both sweet and peppery spice that seem to work really well together (even if that spice caught me a bit off guard the first time I tried a pour).
On the back end it gets a bit more earthy, tasting a bit more herbal and grassy. It goes down very smooth, though and is very warming and relaxing. Perhaps this is why I make it my go to pour in limited-selection bars.
I'm not going to tell you that this is a "phenomenal" pour, nor that it's my go-to drink. However, it's one that I frequently go back to the well on when options are limited, and one that I will continue to go to. At a cheap price it provides a nice, tasty dram, particularly when you're in the mood for a little spice.
Grade: B-
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