On the evening itself we all sat down to try the lastest 3 blends from their range, all Batch 002 and all at Batch Strength. So what is Batch Strength - it's not quite the same a Cask Strength, it's the strength at which the blender thinks to be ideal for the character of the individual bottling. In this case the three drams were as shown below:
Also included in the lovely package was the first release of their new Cask Club a 35yo Caol Ila called Smoky Nectar. This is a limited release of 211 bottles from a single cask. I have a tip : join their club, it's free, and they'll tell you first of future releases : wemyssmalts.com/cask-club
First up was Batch 002 of The Hive at 55.5% ABV
My thoughts: pale gold in the glass, swirls lead to slow fat legs, initial nose honey and spiced pears.
Nose: loads of honey with stewed pears and apples, there's a spice note in there too - maybe a touch of cinnamon? A sweet citrus note - orange peel and a slight sharp sour citrus note - maybe grapefruit? once you get past the high ABV assault on the nose hair there's some damp hay and milk chocolate in there too. Lovely nose!
Palate: silky smooth arrival with loads of orange and honey, a huge spice bite almost immediately then things settle down with more orchard fruit from the nose. Hints of butterscotch and hobnobs biscuits. Loads of orange though!
Finish: long sweet and spicy - loads of orange and ginger. Lovely dram!
Other tweeter's thoughts:
Next was Batch 002 of Spice King at 58% ABV
Wemyss info: Nose: Aromatic spices are amplified by the untamed strength releasing cinnamon, nutmeg and anise with a touch of coastal ozone. Heavier notes of sandalwood and rich pipe tobacco entwine with caramel sauce. Palate: Sweet demerara sugar drizzles on carrot cake mix with zesty orange rind and intriguing costal noted providing a salted caramel like flavour. Gentle spices tickle on the palate intensifying to pink peppercorn. Finish: Medium to long finish that jumps from caramel sauce to wood smoke and black pepper.
My thoughts: very pale in the glass, gravity defying swirls which bead up to form a lovely inverted crown! Initial nose musty book shop .
Nose: musty book shop / smoke - can't quite make up my mind! Lots of orchard fruit - pears, apples and plums. There's a hint of something spicy waiting to just out of the glass - I think it's for the palate rather than the nose though.
Palate: lives up to its name with an immediate attack of ginger and cinnamon, the 58% ABV helps push it through. Underneath this is oak and smoke - a huge drying effect on the mouth with some hints of honey and icing sugar. YUMMY!
Finish: long and spicy - lives up to its name! Some sweetness here too from honey and milk chocolate. It's all wrapped up in a light smoke. Nice dram!
Other tweeter's thoughts:
Next was Batch 002 of Peat Chimney at 57% ABV
My thoughts: another really pale dram, more gravity defying swirls with bead up to form that crown then fall slowly as thin legs. Initial nose bonfire on the beach!
Nose: loads of maritime smoke - seaweed and big meaty BBQ notes - steak - spare ribs etc, hints of lemon, pineapple and mango!
Palate: surprisingly sweet arrival - honey and meringue but with some citrus notes - a little spice comes through before it's all blanketed in gentle peat smoke - not as much as was expected from the nose.....
Finish: lives up to its name - a long slightly spicy drying finish with peat smoke just coming back up into your mouth - YUMMY!
Other tweeter's thoughts:
Final dram of the evening was Smoky Nectar at 46% ABV
Wemyss info: Nose: Clean smoke that has softened and evolved over the many years of maturation into a subtle notes of concrete dust or perhaps ancient catacombs. Mineralic like a standing in a limestone quarry. Aromas like those found in an old book shop give way to exotic fruits such as mango and papaya. Palate: Surprisingly and pleasantly sweeter than expected, like smoked honey nectar. Honeysuckle, sweetened jasmine, nettle tea can be found alongside the reoccurring mangos and papaya. Finish: lingering earthy and green smoke like burnt pine.
My thoughts: lovely gold colour on the glass, swirls lead to slow fat legs. Initial nose gentle smoke and strawberry jam!
Nose: surprisingly light on the smoke - I was expecting more but this is balanced by the sherry notes of strawberry jam. There's also some pears, plums and a hint of honey.
Palate: thick mouth coating arrival of honey and citrus, holding it on your tongue really amplifies this, it's only when you release it to roll down your throat that the peat smoke is released. A lovely complex dram, it's getting right under my skin - the sweetness from the sherry (even though there wasn't any...), the orchard fruit, a tiny hind of smoke and the lovely balance of smoke.
Finish:
Other tweeter's thoughts:
A great night trying some great whiskies! Many thanks to Steve for organising, Wemyss for the drams and my fellow tweeters for making it fun!
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