Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth Review | Whiskey Raiders
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86
Scotch

Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth

  • Distiller:

    Various

  • Bottler:

    Dewar's

  • ABV:

    40%

  • Age:

    8 Years

  • Price:
    $$$$$
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Aggregated Reviews
  • Raided Score: 80
  • Publication: Distiller
  • Excerpt: The spirit drinks with a nice plushness, offering pound cake and citrus flavors. In the finish, the agave returns with a spicy, bitter accent.
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  • Raided Score: 90
  • Publication: WhiskyCast
  • Excerpt: The taste is tart and spicy with lemon and lime citrus notes balanced by white pepper, chili powder, and touches of honey and vanilla in the background. The finish is medium-length and tart with a lingering spiciness.
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  • Raided Score: 87
  • Publication: Whisky Advocate
  • Excerpt: A bold creation, but I’m going to need more persuasion that this enhances the scotch.
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  • Raided Score: 85
  • Publication: Drinkhacker
  • Excerpt: This could easily be imagined as a blend with a light touch of Islay malt in it — though I guess there’s at least an interesting story to tell from having to travel all the way to Mexico for the casks.
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  • Raided Score: 86
  • Publication: Wine Enthusiast
  • Excerpt: The result is smoky tinge in the aroma and a palate that layers a core of honey with hints of smoke and rubber.
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  • Raided Score: 90
  • Publication: Whiskey Raiders
  • Excerpt: This is a big step up on some of the other Dewars Smooth releases, and I especially like how the agave shone through on the finish.
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Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.

House Review
  • Intro:

    Aged for 8 years in Scotland and finished in Ilegal Mezcal Reposado casks, this release from Dewars may take the cake for the most unique Scotch whiskey to date - one of the first to be finished in a barrel used for Mezcal maturation, an agave spirit produced in Mexico.

  • Nose:

    Lightly funky on the nose, though little - if any - Mezcal shines through. Apples, pears, a bit of honey and almond. Light pepper and smoke.

  • Taste:

    Moderate mouthfeel though leaning on the thinner side. Honey, pear, apple and a bit of cream. There's a minute agave quality here, showing through as rising bread, roasted sugars and a bit of funk.

  • Finish:

    Long finish, with much more character here! Wow - plenty of cream, oak, apple and caramel with more agave showing through here.

  • Overall:

    This is a big step up on some of the other Dewar's Smooth releases, and I especially like how the agave shone through on the finish.

  • Score:

    6

  • By t8ke
  • Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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