Dewar's 15 Year The Monarch

Honey, lightly peat smoked, lots of red fruit and dark fruit from the sherry cask whisky in the blend, dried fruit/fruit cake, and sharp vanilla from the grain whisky. All in all a richer and more complex blend than white label

After just opening and tasting a pour from a bottle of 12, I figured there was enough time to also crack the 15 before it gets too late for a proper comparison. The nose on this 15 is indeed enticing. It is velvety and muted, forcing you to explore more. Only after a few mins does it give up its scents of honey, caramel and vanilla, and just a tiny bit of ethanol. The palate is not as sweet as I expected, and jumps right into the main event delivering malted barely and grain wrapped in baking spices.. not much transition or evolution to speak of.. just in, then out. Finish is thin but some decent warmth from the floor proof. Like the 12 there is some pepper here as well. Overall this and the 12 are somewhat evenly matched.. the 15 has a far more luxurious nose, and the 12 has a little more of an interesting palate, albeit slightly less refined. Good scotch, just not great scotch.

Smooth. Nutty flavor.

Honey, heather, nice lingering taste, warm, not oily, sharp, boozy, easy going