Dewar's facts for kids
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| Type | Scotch Whisky |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Bacardi |
| Country of origin | Scotland |
| Introduced | 1846 |
| Alcohol by volume | 40% |
| Variants | White Label, Dewar's Scratched Cask, Dewar's 12, Dewar's 15, Dewar's 18, Dewar's Signature |
| Website | Dewar's |
Dewar's is a well-known brand of Scotch whisky. It's a type of blended Scotch whisky made by a company called Bacardi in Scotland.
Contents
History of Dewar's
How Dewar's Started
The Dewar's whisky brand was created by John Dewar, Sr. in 1846. His two sons, John A. Dewar Jr. and Thomas "Tommy" Dewar, helped the company grow a lot. By 1896, Dewar's was a leader in the global market. They also started winning many awards. For example, they won a gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
Tommy Dewar became famous for his travel journal, Ramble Round the Globe. This book shared his adventures and helped make the Dewar name even more popular. To make more whisky, Dewar's built the Aberfeldy Distillery in 1896.
Dewar's in America
Dewar's became very popular in the United States. This happened when Andrew Carnegie, a famous businessman, asked for a small barrel of Dewar's Scotch whisky. He wanted it sent to the White House for President James Garfield's inauguration. An inauguration is a special ceremony when a new president officially takes office. Carnegie sent the same gift to President Benjamin Harrison eight years later.
Company Changes
Over the years, Dewar's joined different larger companies. In 1925, they became part of the Distillers Company. Later, in 1986, Guinness bought Distillers.
Something interesting happened in 1987. An underwater explorer named E. Lee Spence found many cases of Dewar's Scotch. They were still in perfect condition! These cases were found in the shipwreck of the SS Regina. This ship had sunk in Lake Huron in 1913.
In 1997, Guinness joined with another company to form Diageo. Then, in 1998, Diageo sold Dewar's to Bacardi.
Recent Achievements
In June 2023, Dewar's received a big award at the International Whisky Competition. Stephanie Macleod, who is Dewar's "Master Blender," won the "Master Blender of the Year" award. A Master Blender is like a head chef for whisky, making sure all the different whiskies taste just right when mixed together.
How Dewar's Whisky is Made
Dewar's was a pioneer in a special process called "marrying" the whisky. After different whiskies are mixed together to create a blend, they are put back into oak casks. A cask is a large wooden barrel. The blended whisky then ages even more inside these casks. This extra aging helps the whisky become very smooth and rich in flavor.
Different Types of Dewar's Whisky
Dewar's makes several different kinds of whisky. Here are some of them:
- Dewar's White Label – This was first made in 1899. It is the company's most popular type of whisky.
- Dewar's 12 – This whisky is aged for 12 years. It has won several awards in international competitions.
- Dewar's 15 – This whisky is aged for 15 years. It was created by Stephanie Macleod, who is the first female Master Blender for Dewar's.
- Dewar's 18 – This whisky is aged for 18 years. It was first released in 2003.
- Dewar's Caribbean Smooth Rum Cask Finish 8 Year – This whisky is aged for 8 years and then finished in rum barrels.
- Dewar's Japanese Smooth Mizunara Oak Cask Finish 8 Year – This whisky is aged for 8 years and then finished in special Japanese oak barrels.
Dewar's Distilleries
John Dewar & Sons, the company that owns Dewar's, has five whisky distilleries in Scotland. A distillery is a place where alcoholic drinks are made.
- Aberfeldy
- Aultmore
- Craigellachie
- Macduff
- Royal Brackla
Dewar's Advertising and Sponsorships
Dewar's has been involved in many interesting advertising efforts:
- The main rugby union competition in Victoria, Australia, is called the Dewar Shield. It is named after the company. Dewar's donated this Shield to the Victorian Rugby Union in 1909. It is the oldest continuous rugby competition in Australia.
- Dewar's has shown television advertisements featuring the Irish actor Michael Fassbender.
- In 1898, Dewar's created "It's Scotch!", which was the first motion picture advertisement ever made.
- Dewar's was also the first Scotch whisky company to use virtual reality video. They used it for a product launch called "Dewar's Scratched Cask." The VR video, named "Dewar's Scratched 360," takes viewers on a tour of places in Scotland important to making Dewar's Scratched Cask.
Images for kids
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Different bottles of Dewar's Scotch Whisky.
