Dewar's 18 Year Old is the culmination of the brand's blending philosophy — double aging, premium malt selection, and the patience to let eighteen years of maturation do its work. The blend uses a higher proportion of malt whisky than the younger expressions, with Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie and Royal Brackla among the malts contributing to a whisky of genuine complexity and refinement.
Eighteen years is a serious commitment for a blended Scotch, and the result justifies the wait. The whisky has a maturity and integration that the younger Dewar's expressions can only hint at — the individual components have been married for so long that they have become inseparable, creating a blend that is greater than the sum of its considerable parts. The double aging process reaches its fullest expression here, adding a polish and harmony that shorter maturation cannot achieve.
Dewar's 18 is one of the finest aged blends available at its price. It competes comfortably with Ballantine's 17 and Chivas 18 as one of the great value propositions in premium blended Scotch. The Aberfeldy honey, the careful blending, and the patient maturation produce a whisky that silences the prejudice against blends with quiet, confident quality. A masterclass in the blender's art.
