Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth 8 Year Old Review: Whisky Meets Mezcal

Curious what happens when two cultures collide? Today we’re tasting a whisky that spent its final maturation period in Mexican Ilegal Mezcal casks. Read on to see how this bold pairing turned out.

Before we start sipping, here’s a quick primer on mezcal. Mezcal is a spirit made from agave. Agave is a plant native to Mexico, and there are more than three hundred varieties, some much rarer than others. It’s easy to mix mezcal up with tequila, a drink almost everyone knows. The difference is that tequila uses cooked agave, while mezcal uses roasted agave. That’s why mezcal has such a pronounced smoky character, something peat lovers will likely appreciate. Another difference: tequila is made exclusively from blue agave, whereas mezcal can be made from various agave species. In essence, tequila is a type of mezcal, just as Scotch is a type of whisky.

Finishing Scotch whisky in different casks is common practice, most often using ex-bourbon or wine casks. Once the whisky completes its initial maturation, it spends time in a previously used cask to pick up extra layers of flavor. Dewar’s decided to be the first to try ex-mezcal casks. As a blended whisky, Dewar’s undergoes maturation first. For Ilegal Smooth, the blend is built on whisky aged eight years and then finished for six months in mezcal casks.

So how does this whisky present itself? Is it a Scotsman wearing a sombrero, or a Mexican in a kilt? Let’s pour a dram and find out. In the glass it shows a beautiful deep golden hue, and on the nose we immediately catch the mezcal’s smoky character, different from peated whisky smoke. It’s softer and more fruity.

The smoke quickly shifts to gentle sweetness with notes of honey and toffee, followed by a touch of florals and that unmistakable mezcal smoke. On the palate, the first impression is a peppery, almost crisp edge. It’s spicy yet sweet: honey and florals again, with the mezcal smoke clearly present in the background. The finish is light to medium with a little warmth that borders on smoky. The whisky is well balanced, and we suspect it would shine in a cocktail too.

Definitely a Scotsman in a sombrero. The whisky is nicely balanced, and if you’re a fan of mezcal, you’ll likely love this. We’d love to see more distilleries experiment in this direction, we’re fans. As far as we know, this bottling never officially hit the Dutch market, and finding a bottle takes some hunting.

+ Nicely balanced

+ Distinctive cask finish

+ Smoky, but in a different way

- No longer available

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