Review: Dewar’s Double Double Aged 21 Years Old Mizunara Oak

Dewar’s Double Double Aged has been a standout from the brand for years, with all of its expressions — the youngest 21 years old — earning solid marks here. With this new release, Dewar’s is releasing its first specially finished expression, a version of the Double Double 21 year old with an extra Japanese mizunara oak finish on top of it.

Dewar’s current master blender Stephanie Macleod’s four-stage aging process, developed for the Double Double Aged series in 2019, intriguingly returns whisky to a barrel four separate times during the aging process — the last of which here involves a spin in this rare Japanese oak cask. We don’t have a lot of extra detail beyond that — and the 21 year old age statement, so we’ll leave that all for now and tuck into the experience directly.

So… on first blush, there’s surprisingly no mizunara impact at all. The nose has the cereal-forward honey character that one expects from a high-quality blended Scotch, though here the experience is sweeter than expected, with notes of vanilla and a layer of brown butter evident. Give it some time in glass and things evolve, and soon that mizunara character makes its presence known. A rich, umami note builds after a time, showcasing sandalwood, soy, and mushroom notes — the lattermost particularly strong on the nose.

On the palate, the whisky takes a similar trajectory, first sweet with honey and a lemon note, then incrementally, increasingly nutty as it showcases almonds and sesame, with a slight touch of anise and minerally slate. The finish finds a creamier almond butter quality, with more brown (dairy) butter, fresh oak, and a lingering, brooding mossiness that evokes the umami elements evident on the nose. The lingering earthiness recalls many encounters with Japanese whisky without ever becoming too heavy or overbearing. Easy to sip on albeit less complex than it initially seems, it makes for a lovely springtime drinking experience that offers some of the best of both of the worlds it has feet in.

Note that this expression comes in a 750ml bottle instead of a 500ml or 375ml, common in other Double Double Aged releases.

92 proof.

A- / $150 / dewars.com [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]

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