Living history

TRY DEWAR'S 12 YEAR OLD

Dewar’s 12 Years Old Special Reserve

Dewar’s 12 Years Old Special Reserve is a perfectly balanced marriage of carefully aged and selected 12 year old malt and grain whiskies from the different regions of Scotland.  Inspired by AJ Cameron’s pioneering marrying process, married in Oak casks for smoothness and balance, each bottle is individually numbered.

Tasting Notes

 Colour: Deep amber and rich

 Nose: A full fruity nose, blending together sultanas and raisins with a hint of Scottish heather, forming a perfectly balanced, mellow whisky

 Taste: A rich, fruity sweetness, giving way to a well rounded warm mouthfeel with just a hint of oak

 Body: A rounded, medium to full bodied whisky

 Finish: A long, full flavoured, lingering finish

Dewar’s Timeline

1805: John Dewar born on a farm near Aberfeldy

1846: Established wine and spirits shop in Perth

1860: John employed his first ‘traveller’ or salesman to expand his business

1871: Eldest son, John Alexander Dewar, joined the business

1880: John Dewar Senior died. John Alexander Dewar took over - profits stood at just over £1,300 (equivalent of over £79,000 today)

1884: Tommy Dewar joined his brother in the business

1885: Tommy Dewar moved to London – he had only two contacts - one dead, the other bankrupt! Despite this setback he increased the company’s sales 250% in 6 years

1886: Dewar’s Whisky won first of over 80 awards

1891: Andrew Carnegie ordered Dewar’s whisky for President Benjamin Harrison of the USA

1892: Tommy took a 2 year sales trip, appointing 32 agents in 26 countries

1893: Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria

1894: Dewar’s move into larger premises in Perth as business expands

1896: Advertisements indicate that Dewar’s have been awarded over 50 medals and awards

1897: Tommy elected Sheriff of London

1898: Aberfeldy Distillery opened in Perthshire

1899: White Label created by A J Cameron, Dewar’s first Master Blender

1902: Tommy Dewar is knighted in the coronation honours of King Edward VII

1907: John Alexander Dewar is created a baronet in recognition of his services to the public

1923: John Dewar & Sons purchase Aultmore Distillery in Keith

1925: Dewar’s, Buchanan’s and Walker’s merged with the Distillers Company Ltd

1927: New innovative lever cap introduced for all bottles, replacing corks

1929: John Alexander Dewar died and his son, John Dewar, inherited the title of Lord Forteviot and maintained the family connection within DCL

1930: Tommy Dewar died leaving an estate of over £5 million (equivalent of over £193 million today!)

1986: Dewar’s accounted for 15% of Scotch sold in USA.

Guinness purchased the Distillers Company Ltd, which included John Dewar & Sons

1996: Dewar’s celebrated 150th Anniversary

2000: New bottling facilities opened in Glasgow

2000: Dewar’s World of Whisky opened, Aberfeldy

2002: John Dewar & Sons production reached 5 million 9.0 litre cases

Awards
Dewar’s whiskies have been awarded more than 200 times, no other Scotch whisky has won as many international competitions.  Here are just a small selection of our medals since 1886.

• 1886 Edinburgh, silver for Highland Whisky blend
• 1900 Paris, Gold
• 1904 St Louis, Gold
• 1923 Lucerne, Gold for White Label
• 1934 Greece, Gold
• 1968 Leipzig, Gold for White Label
• 2000 San Francisco, Double gold for Dewar’s 12
• 2004 Prodexpo Russia, Gold for Dewar’s 12
• 2006 IWSC, Gold and Best in Class for Signature
• 2007 Monde Selection, Grand Gold for Signature, Dewar’s 18, Aberfeldy 12 and 21 year old