Dewar's Scratched Cask

I'll start off with damning by faint praise, and say that it's better than JW Red Label. The nose is bitter, with a lot of chemicals, mostly turpentine and acetone. If you dig around for awhile, you might get a hint of honeysuckle and a fresh floral arrangement. Even after sitting for awhile, the chemicals still persist, albeit at a slightly lower strength. The palate is thin, and if you hunt around for malt, you can find it, but the grains dominate this drink. A hint here or there of heather, honey and vanilla, but it's overshadowed by astringency and cereal notes. The finish is short, and I don't know that I'd want it any other way. It's not spit-it-out bad, but the remainder of this bottle will be used for cooking and a new one will never grace the confines of my whisky rack. I was really hoping this would come through, especially with the glowing praise it received from Mr Mayhew, but in the end, I reaffirmed I don't like anything Dewar's, and confirmed that Mr Mayhew and I have completely different palates.

I bought this one based on the high rating here ( lesson learned----follow recommendations from tried sources, not new ones). The nose is almost like acetone. A smell that jolts memories of my sophomore chem class isn't good. The taste is even worse. No depth or character, with a bitter behind-the-throat scratchy finish. I've not had many blends before--maybe I'm spoiled by the only ones I've had ( Hibiki 12 and 17, and the Compass Box ones). But--spend a few bucks more and get the Compass Box Great King St blend... For a few bucks more, the quality is by far superior.