Four from Wemyss Malts - A Quarter Passed, Velvet Fig, Intrepid Mariner and Peat Chimney
Founded by William Wemyss in 2005, Wemyss Malts is an independent, family-owned company with “a mission to create the most exceptional Scottish spirits"
The Wemyss family are also owners of the new Kingsbarns Distillery in Fife.
A Quarter Passed - 53.6%
From the Kingsbarns website:
A Quarter Passed is an expression that honours patience and the passing of time in whisky making. It is a rare and exclusive limited edition blended Scotch malt whisky with an eloquently rich character.
Head of production Isabella Wemyss has exclusively sourced this blend from single malts which have matured in ex-bourbon barrels where the spirit has gently married with the oak for 25 years.
That quarter-century has now passed, the years allowing exceptional flavours to develop.
Type Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Cask American oak ex-bourbon barrels
Chill Filtration Non-chill filtered
Colour Natural
Tasting notes:
Appearance: Burnished gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling slowly as thick, oily legs
Nose: Vanilla, lemon citrus, floral honey and a subtle note of coconut cream
Palate: Stone fruit, vanilla custard, caramel sauce, Walnut Whips, honey and a prickle of white pepper. Water brings a touch of astringency and oak spice
Finish: Long, lingering and warming. Crystallised ginger, cinnamon, and a touch of nutmeg
Overall: Lovely example of aged ex-Bourbon whisky. Plenty of those typical flavours with the longer maturation bringing more depth. For me, this is a whisky which is better without the addition of water. The official price on the Wemyss Malts website is £240, although at the time of writing it can be found at Master of Malts for below £190. Sadly too expensive for my budget, but it’s still a quality whisky.
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Velvet Fig 12 Year Old
From the Kingsbarns website:
A composition of single malts, artfully blended.
Velvet Fig 12 Year Old is crafted from a careful selection of single malts chosen for their natural richness and depth. Matured in ex Oloroso sherry casks, these malts are then blended to create layers of fig, chocolate and warm spice. Building on the popularity of the original limited release, this new limited edition now carries a 12 year age statement for greater richness and complexity. This is blended malt at its best: flavour first, thoughtfully composed, and bottled with integrity.
- Composed exclusively of 100 percent single malts
- Matured in ex Oloroso sherry casks
- Natural colour and non chill filtered
- Each cask is nosed and assessed by Isabella Wemyss
Appearance: Copper gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling slowly as thick, oily legs
Nose: Berried fruits, dates, milk chocolate raisins, toasted almonds, nutty oak
Palate: Creamy and gently warming entrance. Dried fruit, ripe figs, dark berries, milk chocolate hazelnuts, brown sugar, warming ginger and cinnamon. Water adds astringency but flattens much of the flavour
Finish: Long and lingering, cinnamon, Demerara sugar, light roast coffee nibs, nutty oak, tobacco leaf and baking spices
Overall: Lovely sherry-driven dram, all the elements are there without it falling into sherry bomb territory. Great balance, hard to fault, it’s a very elegant blended malt. Currently priced at £57, I can easily see this being a regular at Christmas.
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Intrepid Mariner - 20 Year Old Bunnahabhain - 46%
From the Kingsbarns website:
Bunnahabhain has earned a reputation as the more understated among Islay Malts, characterized by a unique oiliness and a hint of sea air, distinguishing it from the predominantly peaty whiskies produced on the island. While the distillery now introduces smoky expressions, it is the distinctly oily and largely unpeated whisky that has garnered acclaim among whisky enthusiasts worldwide.
Bottles in cask: 273
Matured in: Hogshead
Vintage year: 2002
Appearance: Pale straw colour, forms a thick line which beads before falling slowly as thick, oily legs
Nose: An immediate wave of salty sea breeze, lemon zest, green apples and a faint whiff of dunnage floors
Palate: Mouthcoating creaminess. Sea salt, subtle dried fruit notes of sultanas and raisins, vanilla, salted caramel sauce, a hint of poached stone fruit and a prickle of crystallised ginger. Water brings a little wood spice, butterscotch and unsalted peanuts but flattens the overall experience
Finish: Astringent with lingering wood spice. As the spicy prickle dissipates a soft nuttiness appears
Overall: Not your typical sherried Bunnahabhain, other than the spice everything feels quite subtle but well balanced. The finish is the star here, long and lingering with a gradual evolution into soft, creamy nuttiness. The only problem I have with it is the price, at £275 I’d be looking for something offering a lot more.
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Peat Chimney - 46%
From the Kingsbarns website:
Peat Chimney is a small batch, hand-crafted Scotch whisky that captures the allure of smoke in a balanced expression rich in smoky maritime and citrus notes.
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
46% ABV/ 70cl/ Non-chill filtered
Appearance: New gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling slowly as thick, oily legs
Nose: Sweet smoke, caramelised orange slices, stone fruit, honey, vanilla and coastal sea breeze
Palate: Sweet smoked meats, maritime salt, stone fruit, vanilla, a touch of minerality and a prickle of black pepper. With time in the glass, a note of rich roast coffee with brown sugar appears. Water brings a little more smoke and astringency
Finish: Astringent, ashy peat, sugary coffee, honey and coastal salt linger
Overall: Elegant smokiness, the peat is present but well balanced and adds a layer rather than a full-on phenolic bludgeon. It’s a really nice, easy-drinking peated whisky and at a price which makes it worth seeking out.
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Summary:
This was my first time trying anything from Wemyss Malts, and I have to say I was very impressed by all of the drams sampled. My favourite on the night would have to be Velvet Fig, such a lovely blend and at a price that offers real bang for the buck.
My thanks to Wemyss Malts and to Steve at The Whisky Wire for organising the online tasting session.
Transparency: Received free of charge for independent review, all opinions are my own and remain completely impartial.
