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The Wemyss Family itself come from Fife, Scotland, and their home since the turn of the 13th century, is Wemyss Castle which sits on top of an outcrop of rocks and caves three hundred foot above the Firth of Forth looking back towards Edinburgh.

The family have had a longstanding passion for malt whisky and their connections with the industry date back to the turn of the 19th century when John Haig (founder of Haig's) built his first distillery on Wemyss land. Even today barley from the Wemyss Estate is prized by many of the leading distillers, and Cameron Bridge distillery is located just a few miles from the castle.

With this passion came the gradual realisation that, even for the knowledgeable consumer, much of the malt whisky terminology can be confusing. Our ranges of hand crafted malts was conceived with the aim of making them more accessible and understandable. We use the taste and aromas of the individual whiskies to identify each bottling, rather than the distillery, so the consumer can easily understand the style being purchased.

At Wemyss Vintage Malts we choose the best malt whiskies cask that the industry has to offer- we do this by having our 'Nosing Panel' pore over many hundred of different casks that come in from our suppliers. We are in effect what the wine industry calls a 'negociant'- choosing, blending and bottling a small number of very fine casks.

This panel is chaired by no lesser an industry character and aficionado than Charlie Maclean(author of eight books on the subject of malt whisky). Having chosen them we then designate them for either our blended malt range or, if they're consider of outstanding quality, our single cask range.

The core of our philosophy at Wemyss Vintage Malts is that our malts should reflect the region from which they come. Consequently, we present our malts on a regional basis reflecting the different taste profiles.

Currently, there are four different malts in the range:
Speyside, Highland, Islay and Lowland.

The following provides a brief overview of the taste profiles of the different regions:

Islay

The most distinctively flavoured of all malts. The island has a bountiful supply of peat which is constantly lashed by the wind, rain and sea. All these elements come through strongly in its malts, often described as seaweed, iodine or even peat monsters. In all there are eight distilleries, but not all are working.

Highland

The most geographically spread out region which consequently has the most taste diversity. Many of the more northern malts have spicy or heathery characteristics whilst the Eastern Highlands are more fruity.

Speyside

Really a sub region of Highland, but they are noted for their elegance, complexity and sweetness/mellow characteristics. More than 40 distilleries are present in this region which stretches from the River Findhorn in the West to the Deveron in the East, and takes in the Livet.

Lowland

Tends to produce whiskies which are softer and more approachable, with a general lack of peatiness of its Highland cousins. The region today has only two operating distilleries. Generally much more mellow.

Each bottling will come from a single unique cask (averaging between 350 and 700 bottles only) coming from one distillery. Due to the limited nature of casks which are considered good enough to enter this range, supply is very restricted. All our single cask bottlings come in a individual gift carton, making it the ideal present.

Each cask that is chosen is representative of the best characteristics of its regional origins. This is the best of the best with Charlie Maclean discarding the vast majority of casks that are put in front of him and our Nosing Panel to sample.

All are bottled at a minimum of 46% with a select few being bottled at cask strength. None of them are chill-filtered as well as being fee of artificial colouring, such as caramel. That way they reach you in their natural state. Best drunk neat.

As with our Blended Malts our Nosing Panel designates a name to the bottling according to its taste profile and the region from which its comes.

To many 'blending' in the whisky industry is a dirty word, but with our family's premium wine background we believe differently. All premium wines are 'blended', even the best Bordeaux and Burgundy wines, with the best being a blend of the finest different batches of separate wines. We see no reason why this approach cannot be used in malt whiskies. For these whiskies we are what the wine industry calls a 'negociant' - choosing and blending a small number of very fine casks.

Our family meticulously hand selects each individual cask, under the expert eye of Charlie Maclean (author of eight books on the subject of malt whisky). We pore over many hundreds of casks to select what we think is the best the industry has to offer.

Having selected the casks from different distilleries they are blended together to create three distinct taste profiles: ‘Spicy’ (Spice King), ‘Peaty’ (Peat Chimney) and ‘Smooth’ (Smooth Gentleman).

All are bottled at 43% and the age is a minimum of five years old. Where possible, the different whiskies are 'married' together for a period of months, allowing the fullest integration of the different malts, prior to bottling.

Single Cask Malts

''Admiral of the Sea''(Campbeltown 1970)

8.5/10
**** Price per bottle
(...)''A superb dram combining fruit and spice in the most elegant way.''

(Whisky Magazine (Issue 67))

''Chocolate Heaven''(Speyside 1995)

8/10
**** Price per bottle
(...)''Another pleasant dram. Has this friendly, straightforward invite. To be served slightly chilled with a fruit desert''

(Whisky Magazine (Issue 67))

''Coconut Cream''(Speyside 1990)''

8/10
**** Price per bottle
(...)''A very well wrapped present! Fresh, cheery, with a charming combination of fruity and floral flavours. Luscious''

(Whisky Magazine (Issue 67))

''Dried Fruit Basket''(Speyside 1993)

*** ½ (...)''It is a 1993 distillation (actually a Glenrothes), and offers a nose of fresh fruits, principally peaches, honey and wild flowers in a hay meadow. Large, mouth-filling, spicy and bold on the palate.''
(Gavin Smith on www.whisky-pages.com)

Wemyss Vintage Malts Ltd,
First Floor,
30 Castle Street,
Edinburgh
EH2 3HT

Tel: 0131-225-9305
Fax: 0131-225-6214
Email: info@w-v-m.com