4 minute read
Women in Whisky with Dewars
Dewars was created by Sir John Dewar, in 1846, and passed on to his sons, Thomas “Tommy “ Dewar and John Alexander Dewar Jr. Tommy, the author of “Ramble Around The World “, pioneer of whisky high ball, and entrepreneur, marketed the brand around the world while his brother John Dewar Jr perfected the whisky back in the distillery. Dewars is made at the Aberfeldy Distillery in Perthshire Scotland. Dewars 12 and 18 created by Tom Aitken, the sixth master blender for the Dewars whisky. Dewars 15 created by Stephanie Macleod, the current and first female master blender for Dewars. Dewars whisky is the pioneer of double ageing for extra smoothness, a process that involves marrying the whiskies after ageing, to allow the character of the blend to mellow giving it a smooth finish. Today Dewars stands as the most awarded blended scotch whisky.
STEPHANIE MACLEOD
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Stephanie MacLeod, the master blender at John Dewar’s and Sons and the creator behind most of the winning blends, became the first woman to be honoured as the ‘Master Blender of the Year’ for her craft with the Dewar’s Double Double series (a series containing 27YO and 32YO).
‘We are proud to see our double-aged and limited edition blends continually being recognised on global platforms like the International Whisky Competition. It’s amazing that the bartenders constantly reach for Dewar’s when crafting and recommending some of the most exceptional cocktails and blends to their patrons. We continue to champion our signature double-ageing process and age statements, which qualify as the optimum quality and experience signifier for our consumers. On a personal note, it is exciting to be the first woman Master Blender of the Year, and I hope this paves way for more and more women to join the alco-beverage industry; especially in technical roles.’
JOAN SAMIA
Joan is the Bacardi - Martini portfolio ambassador in East Africa and has been working with them for three years now. They launched the Dewars premium blended, double aged Scotch whisky last year into the market, which has had a great response so far. They have also brought in the single malt Aberfeldy, which is the heart of Dewars, last year. She visited the Dewars distillery in Perthshire earlier this year and had a great experience with fellow whisky ambassadors, understanding the brand from grain to barrel to the bottle and learning a great amount on how to pass on the knowledge to consumers as well as bartenders. She has additionally run some consumer initiatives for the brand, by helping the consumers understand the brand, the best way to consume it, how to enjoy it and what makes it stand out and different.
GEORGIE BELL
Georgie Bell has already built up an enviable reputation in the whisky industry. Beginning her burgeoning career as a cocktail bartender while studying at the University of Edinburgh, Bell became enthralled by the bar scene and began to realize she had a particular penchant for whisky. With an ambition to share her passion with others, Georgie began educating through her various brand ambassador roles, starting at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society before moving to her former position with Mortlach.
Fully immersing herself within the whisky industry, Georgie’s commitment and dedication to Scotch whisky shine through. With a B.S. in Distillation and a background in the bar industry, coupled with a love of travel, endless devotion, and drive and determination, Georgie has made it her life mission to get under the skin of whisky and to spread the word. As a crucial member of the team, Georgie has a key role in aiming to win over a new generation of whisky drinkers around the world with the incredibly strong line-up of single malt Scotch whiskies.
SCOTCH WHISKY AWARDS 2019
BEST VALUE SCOTCH: 2 place Dewars White Label
BEST BLENDED SCOTCH OVER 20 YEARS OLD 1st place: Dewars Double Double 32yrs 2nd place: Dewars 25yrs 3rd place: Dewars Double Double 27yrs
RANGE & NOTES
DEWARS 12 YEARS OLD
BEST BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY: 2nd place Dewars 18yrs Best Blended Scotch Whisky: 1st place Dewars 15yrs Best Blended Scotch Whisky 12 yrs: 2nd place Dewars 12yrs
DEWARS 18 YEARS OLD
TASTING NOTES: Honey, homemade candy apples, and fudge. Warm, buttery, and mellow. Juicy raisins and fresh citrus, with subtle vanilla. Clean, full, and lively. Melted caramel with a trace of oak. Rounded, smooth, and long.
DEWARS 15 YEARS OLD
TASTING NOTES: Heather honey poured over fruit. Rich, golden, and mellow. Almond and vanilla cream, with smooth butterscotch. Soft, flavorful, and sweet. With a silkysmooth full finish; rich, deep, and oaky. Plush, reassuring, and lasting.
ABERFELDY 16 YEARS OLD Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
TASTING NOTES: Golden honey and decadent toffee sauce. Luxurious and complex. Succulent exotic fruits, hints of coconut and vanilla. Citrus and green apple notes. Delicate floral
TASTING NOTES: Fruitcake & dark chocolate with a rich, mouth-coating finish.