Dewar’s New Blended Scotch Was Aged in Barrels Toasted With Icelandic Magma Rocks

Have we reached peak cask finishing in the world? , one of the most popular blended brands in the world, is pretty much built upon that technique when it comes to its Double Double range. The latest release pushes the finishing concept even further: It’s a 21-year-old blended scotch that was given a secondary maturation in French oak barrels that were toasted with magma rocks. That sounds pretty gimmicky, but we got to try an early sample of the whisky and it’s very good.

Master blender Stephanie Macleod is the woman in charge of the range, so she is the force behind this innovative new whisky. The “double-double” process consists of a few key steps: Grain and malt whisky are aged separately, blended together, and then aged again in casks. That blend is then finished in different types of barrels, ranging from to sherry butts to the specially toasted French oak casks in question. Double Double 21 Year Old Stone Toasted is, as you can tell by the name, a blend that was aged for a minimum of 21 years, but the last step puts the whisky in these special casks, which require some explanation.

Two types of cask finishes that can have a big impact on a whisky’s flavor (and sometimes be polarizing) are toasted oak (like Toasted Barrel Finishes), and French oak. Dewar’s has combined the two here, but instead of toasting the barrels with direct flame, as is usually the case, Icelandic magma stones were heated and placed inside a metallic half-cylinder. This cylinder was then placed inside the barrel, which rotates around it until it is toasted to a level three out of four. Apparently, this is a technique that has been used before in the wine industry before, and the point is to gradually toast the wood in a slow and low style instead of rapidly heating it. It makes sense that each method will affect the wood sugars differently as they heat, although it is also a pretty good marketing gimmick. Could you achieve the same result by using a low flame to toast the barrel? Mcleod and her team certainly don’t think so.

This new Double Double blend is quite good and definitely unlike other expressions in the series. There are rich notes of spice present from the French oak finish, along with some toasted almond, cinnamon, caramel, balsa wood, and a hint of licorice on the palate. Exactly how much this is due to the stone toasting method I cannot say, but I like the results. According to the brand, this is just the first entry in the Stone Toasted series. Future releases will be finished in American oak as well as French, and different types of stones will be used (jade is one that is mentioned) as well as different toast levels, but all will be part of the Dewar’s 21 lineup. Double Double 21 Stone Toasted is available to purchase now at (SRP $140), so give it a try and see for yourself if you think this technique has been effective.