#WemyssMalts Social Media Tasting

Steve has been organising Social Media Tastings for more than a decade now...

This time it was drams from Wemyss Malts, here's my thoughts!

We each received 4 drams from Wemyss to try on the night.

Dram 1 : A Quarter Past

25yo Blended Malt at 53.6% ABV

Light gold in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thin line, take an age to bead up and eventually fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: orchard fruit to start, some honey and a little berry note: Apples, pears, apricot; sweet runny honey; dark cherries, blueberries. There's some vanilla here, a little earthy pine and some spicy hints.

Palate: creamy arrival, a huge bite of spice to start: ginger, cinnamon & pepper. The ABV is quite noticeable - it's yummy! The orchard fruit & honey from the nose are here with tropical hints. The pear influence turned up to 10. Some hazelnut, coconut & dry peach skin.

Finish: lingering tropical fruit, ginger spice and a little honey.

What a cracking dram, really enjoyed that, right on the edge of spice taking over - it's like a cask strength Spice King!

 

Dram 2 :  Velvet Fig 12yo

Blended Malt at 46% from Oloroso Casks

Dark gold in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thick line, bead up quickly and fall as thick slow legs.

Nose: dark berries, dried fruit, dates, figs, prunes and a lovely dunnage funk. There's some toffee pennies, a little almond marzipan and some strawberries drizzled in balsamic vinegar.

Christmas in a glass!

Palate: a little thin compared to A Quarter Past but the ABV has come down a chunk. There's liquorice, blueberries, sherry soaked dried fruit, fugs, dates and a lovely coffee chocolate note. A little time and air offers Black Forest Gateaux notes: cherries & chocolate.

Finish: medium length, sherry soaked dried fruit, figs, dates and a little cinnamon spice. 

A lovely dram at 46%, would be amazing at 56%

 

 Dram 3 : The Intrepid Mariner

20yo Bunnahabhain from a Hogshead
Pale gold in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thin line, take a while to bead up and fall as slow thin oily legs. 

 

Nose: a little closed. Orchard fruit, honey, toffee and some Parma Violets. A huge maritime influence: salinity, wet beach pebbles, cut grass and lemon. Maybe a hint of dried fruit, was this a sherry hogshead?

 Palate: thick, chewy arrival, very spicy. The maritime influence is huge here: sea spray, salinity and a distant hint of smoke. There's some tropical fruit hints, honey, sour citrus and a lovely nutty caramel. A little furniture polish note as the liquid disappears.

Finish: Lingering tropical fruit, dry icing sugar, lemon zest, salinity and ginger spice.

It's great to try an unpeated bourbon? Bunna, it's a lovely dram but I think the 46% and a high price point would put me off.

Dram 4 :   Peat Chimney

A regular favourite, it always turns up in Wemyss Malts tastings!

Pale gold in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up immediately but hang for a while before falling as slow thick oily legs.

Nose: Ward 15 in the local hospital is on fire! Very medicinal peak smoke, smoky bacon crisps, Whitby kippers and some tropical fruit hints. There's an interesting marzipan note and some honey sweetness.

Palate: sweet, mouthcoating arrival: honey, icing sugar and a little tropical fruit. Then the smoke arrives like a tsunami, covers everything and dries the mouth. I went off peat for a few month before Christmas, this is really telling me what I'm missing! There's a lovely salinity here and a little citrus zest alongside the tropical fruit.

Finish: lingering smoke, salinity and tropical fruit.

Yummy dram, again a 55+% ABV bottling would be brilliant!

Huge thanks to Steve for organising, Dan for bottling, WemyssMalts for the samples and my fellow BlueSkiers for sharing their thoughts!