Dewar’s Scotch Whisky today announced the launch of Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth: Dewar’s 8 year-old double-aged Blended Scotch whisky, finished in Ilegal Mezcal casks. The second in a new cask-finished series of whiskies, Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth aims to reflect the Scotch spirit’s progressive new face and invite in new whisky appreciators through partnering with Ilegal, the leading artisanal mezcal in the US. This follows on from the debut of Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth last September and the ethos of bringing together an exciting blend of two different cultures, this time with Scotland and Mexico.
Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth’s 8-year-old mezcal cask finish offers brown spirit drinkers a refreshing alternative. “We’ve blended our signature recipe of up to 40 single malts and grain whiskies that have laid in casks for at least 8 years, double aged the blend to ensure our distinctive extra smooth Dewar’s profile, and then finished in ex-Ilegal Mezcal casks, sourced from Oaxaca, Mexico, all fulfilled in our ageing warehouses in Glasgow,” says Dewar’s Master Distille Stephanie Macleod. “Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth’s unique flavor profile features subtle notes of caramel, sliced green pepper and a wisp of smoke – making it an ideal pairing for your next dinner party, or as a spirit to enjoy neat, on the rocks or in highball recipes.”
“Many of the barrels utilized in aging mezcal are used whisky barrels. It’s a nice shift to have our used Ilegal Mezcal barrels crossing borders to age whisky in Scotland. The finished product is delicious” adds John Rexer, Founder of Ilegal Mezcal. “Ilegal Mezcal is made in Oaxaca, Mexico by Oaxaqueños. The company is composed of Mexicans, Guatemalans, Mexican Americans, an El Salvadoran American, Venezuelans, an Ecuadorian, New Yorkers, Californians and a Philadelphian … people from an array of ethnicities and cultures. We live, work, and play across borders. This partnership between Ilegal and Dewar’s is about sharing cultures and creating an opportunity for education around the mezcal category.”
Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth 8-year-old mezcal cask finish will be available for $21.99.
