Four Single Cask releases from Wemyss Malts

I tasted these four single cask releases from Wemyss Malts during the height of our summer, enjoying the whisky while sitting out in the sunshine, jotting my notes down (the old way, in books) but with everything going on around me at the time never sat down and got them into the blog posts I was originally planning.

Ordinarily these would have each had their own separate post, buts seeing as I'm so far behind, and I tasted these all concurrently, thought they would all work well together in this single post.

Wemyss Malts is a boutique producer of fine malt whiskies named after the family of the same name (ponounced 'Weems'). While they have a core range of award winning blended malts they release a series of single casks roughly every quarter. 

Being single cask releases the number of bottles available from each release vary from cask size and age, and due to the wide distribution across the globe, it's not always possible to get hold of a bottle of one that takes your fancy. There's normally no time to think when you find a single cask release for sale, as before you've made up your mind it's usually sold out.

I have been fortunate in that occasionally pre-release samples are sent to me for review, and these four were just that. With a worldwide customer base and limited bottles available these sell out rather quickly, some have even sold out as the samples are on their way to me!

Whisky Discovery #488

Linkwood 2000 'Summer Orchard' (46% abv, 2012)

Speyside single malt Whisky

Circa £58.00 70cl

This was one of the four casks released in January of this year. Summer Orchard is from the Linkwood Distillery, a Speyside distillery is located just outside Elgin, owned by Diageo. Whisky from the Linkwood distillery are generally found in blended Scotch, being a major component of Johnnie Walker and White Horse. Distillery bottlings are not ordinarily available, although Diageo occasionally release limited editions

This 'Summer Orchard' release was my first Linkwood according to my Liquid Log. It was distilled in 2000 and matured in a sherry butt, and when bottled at 46% abv yielded 762 bottles.

So What did I Think?

As usual from Wemyss Malts the name of this single cask release fits the nose profile the instant you pop your nose over the Glencairn. Rosy apples come across strongly at first, but leave it for a little while to breath and soft vanilla sweetness comes through, with hints of dried apricot. There's a light dry woody note to this too

This comes across as very fresh, young and lively on the palate, a fresh sweetness initially but this quickly builds with peppery spices, almost rye-spice like which fades to a nutty creamy sweetness with just a hint of coconut at the end.

Whisky Discovery #489

Clynelish 1997 'Spiced Chocolate Cup' (46% abv, 2013)

Highland Single Malt

Circa £72.00 70 cl

It was a Clynelish that was the 'acorn' dram, a seed planted way before I'd considered starting my whisky journey, so I've always have a soft spot for Clynelish. 1997 was also a significant year for me too, as my youngest was born during the middle of making plans to up-sticks and move to the UK. Clynelish is another Diageo owned distillery situated in the Northern Highlands in the town of Brora. Two standard expressions are ordinarily available; The 14 Year Old and Distillers Edition, which has been finished in Oloroso casks.

Spice Chocolate Cup was one of the six releases from July 2013. It was distilled in 1997, matured in a hogshead, and when bottled at 46% abv yielded 302 bottles

So what did I Think?

The nose is rich and malty with an aroma that reminded me of fairground Toffee Apples. True to form I started to find the chocolate notes I was expecting, perhaps I should cover the labels next time to see if I could guess what the release would be called form my notes! Sweet honey notes follow, with pencil shavings bringing the woody notes while, nutmeg is the underlying spice.

The mouth feel is rich and spicy and immediately gives the impression of an aged malt with hints of well polished wood and old leather armchairs. The rich sweetness of stewed fruits, while the spices are gentle, remaining on the fairly short malty finish.

Whisky Discovery #490

Glen Scotia 1991 'Salted Caramels' (46% abv, 2013)
Campbeltown Single Malt

Circa £TBC 70 cl

The Glen Scotia distillery is owned by the Loch Lomond Distillery Company and is one of three Cambeltown Distilleries. After a turbulent few years last year the brand was revamped and five core expressions were released, with brightly coloured livery by way of shrink-wrapped bottles. This was another very new discovery and my first Glen Scotia.

Salted Caramels was was another one of the six releases from July 2013. It was distilled in 1991, another significant year in my life, being the year I left the UK and headed off to the Far East for seven years. This whisky was matured in a ex-bourbon barrel, and when bottled at 46% abv yielded just 279 bottles

So what did I Think?

Is it really worth me saying that this really does have an instant hit of salted caramels to it when first poured? After being matured for at least 21 years, this needs some time in the glass to develop and show off it's real character. A dirty maritime oily smoke, reminding me of an old steam launch I once went on, hot lube oil, steam, coal dust and sooty smoke, I love this! All the while there is a delicate sweet perfume trying to push through the coal dust notes.

This feels much stronger than the 46% abv sated in the label. Opening with a soft sweetness the wood spice builds quickly with rich malty notes on the palate. The smoke is much softer than the palate was suggesting, drifting peat smoke and cinnamon flavours giving this a savoury taste helped by a pinch of sea salt.

Whisky Discovery #492

Caol Ila 1980 'The Smokery' (46% abv, bottled 2013)

Islay Single Malt

Circa £TBA 70 cl

Another 'favoured' distillery, as it was a Caol Ila that set me off on my Whisky Journey leading me to go out and purchase my first bottle of whisky. Caol Ila, one of the eight distilleries on the Isle of Isla is and owned by Diageo, the core expression being their 12 Year Old, one I really must revisit soon.

The Smokery was another one of the six releases from July 2013. It was distilled in 1980, matured in a hogshead, and when bottled at 46% abv yielded 322 bottles - none of which I've been able to find!

So what did I Think?
I love the charcoal and ash notes from this, perhaps I'm a little 'doe-eyed 'when a Caol Ila is presented to me, but this nose is just heavenly for me. Underneath the smoky flavours you can pick out softer fruit and floral notes too, but for me this is all about the smoked peppered mackerel.

This is more sweeter than the nose would suggest with spiced fruit notes; cinnamon and cloves with cooking apples and poached pears at first, while charcoal and ash flavours develop with an earthy mustiness, finishing with ginger spices and a fragrant pipe tobacco note

Verdict
Four superb single cask bottlings from Wemyss Malts and my favourites were the Glen Scotia and The Caol Ila. I'm not sure of the price point for either of these but a 32/33 Caol Ila wouldn't come cheap, but these two proved impossible for me to find on-line anywhere. What I also love about these single cask releases is the labels - if I'm careful I can peel the label clean off the bottle and past them in my note book - sad I know, but they look great!

Many thanks for Wemyss Malts for sending these to me and for more information check out their website and you can follow @WemyssMalts on Twitter too! Look out for their next round of single cask releases which should be out any day soon now seeing as the last release was in July.

Slàinte! Dave

Old Particular Tweet Tasting

Glasgow-based Douglas Laing & Co are independent Scotch Whisky bottlers and blenders. Founded in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing, which in turn was passed down to his sons Stewart and Fred until May 2013 when the two brothers decided to split the family-owned company in two, after reaching an amicable agreement that secures the business for the next generation. The pair are now at the helm of two separate businesses that feature key roles for their respective children. 

Douglas Laing & Co has continued with with Fred Laing at the helm, and he has been joined by his daughter Cara as head of brands marketing.

Cara has brought considerable industry experience to the role, having moved from Morrison Bowmore Distillers, where she led the Bowmore and Glen Garioch brands as marketing manager. She is also a former global brand manager for the Isle of Jura single malt and has worked previously with both Dalmore and Whyte & Mackay.

This tweet tasting coincided with the launch of Douglas Laing & Co Ltd's new flag ship range 'Old Particular', a series of selected single cask bottlings and five blind samples arrived in good time at Whisky Discovery HQ for the tweet tasting with Steve Rush of @TheWhiskyWire and Cara Laing from @DLaingWhisky

All set to go at Whisky Discovery HQ

The bottles were simply numbered one to five, no other information was given and all five were tasted blind and only revealed at the end of each tasting. Whilst we all tried guessing the distillery I don't think their were many 'Gold Stars' awarded for our whisky tasting prowess, although I did get the last one right on first nosing. Right from the start a new Whisky Discovery was recorded in the Liquid Log.

Whisky Discovery #524

Old Particular Auchentoshan 15 Year Old (48.4% abv)

Lowland Single Malt Whisky

Price TBC

Auchentoshan was one of only three remaining Lowland malt whisky distilleries, however recent openings and re-openings have increased that count to six now (Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie, Bladnoch, Daftmill, Annandale and Ailsa Bay) Founded in 1800 and located just on the outskirts of Glasgow, Auchentoshan is probably the most accessible Lowland distillery, being just a short taxi ride away from the city centre. Interestingly, Auchentoshan triple distills it's spirit which is said to give a lighter, more delicate and sweeter flavoured malt whisky.

This 15 Year Old 'Old Particular' Auchentoshan was distilled in October 1997, matured in a refill hogshead, and yielded 336 Bottles when bottled in August 2003

So What Did I Think?

The nose comes across as grassy initially with sweet floral notes before the vanilla starts to take over. Malty fruit follows, with apples, pears and the small of fresh Victoria plums (which came to mind as I had just been picking them from the garden) There's a leafy herbal element too, which I noted as Elderberry leaves while underneath the fruit there's a slate like note

The palate comes across much sweeter and more delicate than the nose was suggesting. A little less interesting too. Opening light and sweet you are met with a citrus zest and pepper 'zing' with a sherbet feel with a trace of cinnamon spice. The mouth feel turns creamy towards then end and finishes dry with a touch of salt. 

Verdict: I had an inkling that this one was Auchentoshan but didn't 'tweet up' at the time. This has an interesting nose but not meeting my expectations on the palate, perhaps too light and delicate for me? I've not tried many Auchentoshans in my journey to date although do like their Three Wood.

So what did the others think?
@cowfish: First dram has a nose with grass and leafiness, as well as spice and sweetness. Seems to be changing a lot
@LaCaveDeCobalt: First nose is a bit estery with green apple and pear notes. Also, something sweet like cotton candy.

@jalcock1982: Nose: vanilla, apple, grassy, very sweet, toffee, pear drop, boiled sweets. mouth watering

@MasterOfMaltJM: Nose: Apple, vanilla, touch of honeycomb and maltiness. Dried papaya. Wet rock/shell.

@steveprentice: On the palate this is much smoother than I expected, creamy, rich, malty, slight coastal notes and apples.

@andrew1bardsley: Warm in the mouth, with a mellow spice to it. Less fruit than I was expecting. Classic American oak flavours

@sjoerd972: Taste: not too sharp, some vanilla, grass, lemon oil, granny smith, simple syrup, white tea.

Whisky Discovery #525

Old Particular Caperdonich 18 Year Old (48.4% abv)

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

circa £76.00 70cl

The Caperdonich Distillery is one of our 'lost' distilleries. Although founded in 1898 it had a very short life before being resurrected in 1965 and ran until 2002 and later demolished in 2010. I've only ever tasted one Caperdonich before

This 18 Year Old 'Old Particular' Caperdonich was distilled in June 1995, matured in a refill hogshead, yielding 312 bottles when bottled in August 2013 

So What Did I Think?

A gentle delicate nose that needed teasing out. Spicy initially with a little menthol too. There's a hazelnut nuttiness before some softer fruit notes develop with waxy apples, but dry with soda water and a chalky note. The nose was much more restrained than the first dram of the evening and to be honest, was not doing a great deal for me so wanted to move on quickly to taste it

As a complete contrast to the Auchentoshan, the palate was much more interesting than the nose. Sweet, rich and malty with sultanas, vanilla cream and a dab of sherbet. There's a grapefruit pith note towards the end along with some gentle aniseed spice

Verdict: I didn't have a clue before the reveal, although I was beginning to think Speyside. While the nose was perhaps a little to delicate for me to appreciate fully in the time we had during the twitter tasting, the palate more than made up for it and I really enjoyed this super smooth 'Speysider'.

So what did the others think?

@MaltReview: Nose: More muted than the first. Much more a kind of heady wood and cream cheese aroma. Understated, yet subtle.

@MCRWhiskyClub: Nose Light, vanilla, lemon curd and then a rather sour note, coming back round to baked apples glazed with honey.

@PWulf: Very faint smell of an old leather boot? Swampy cellar

@MasterOfMaltJM: Palate: It's those slices of apple that are drying out (very specific!) that I had on the nose for me, only more so now!

@TheWhiskyWire: Is there such a thing as peach sherbet? If not I've just discovered it.

@LaCaveDeCobalt: Oily and creamy on the palate with salty/sugary notes. Very warming. Much more my kind of dram.

@rodbodtoo: The palate is malty and rounded. A wee bitty hot in the finish. Also getting fruity.

Whisky Discovery #526

Old Particular Glen Ord 16 Year Old (48.4% abv)

Highland Single Malt Whisky

Price TBC

I've not come across anything from the Glen Ord Distillery in my journey to date. Yes, I've heard of the distillery, but the only expression that I could think of was the 'Singleton of Glen Ord. I had to Google the distillery initially to find out where it is located (the Black Isle, Ross-shire) although later returned to my trusty copy of The Malt Whisky Yearbook for more details.

The Glen Ord Distillery is owned by Diageo and the majority of the Whisky made is used in the Singleton of Glen Ord range which is an exclusive to South East Asia although the 12 Year Old can be found in their visitor centre.

This 16 Year Old 'Old Particular' Glen Ord was distilled in April 1997, matured in a refill hogshead, yielding 396 bottles when bottled in August 2013

So What Did I Think?

Opening with malty berry fruits, there's a certain oiliness to the nose of this one. Not a heavy oily note, more of a light olive oil note. An earthy chars lies under with a touch of brine too.

The palate is rich, creamy, and very tasty with blackberries, a leafy herbal note that reminded me of brambles, white pepper and lemon zest, finishing with a little charcoal char and a maritime edge.

Verdict: I was impressed with the Glen Ord, and this quickly became my favourite of the evening so far. My stab at guess for the distillery was way off! this rime, and for the record I tweeted Glen Scotia, well I got half the name correct!

So what did the others think?
@MaltReview: Wow, radically different. Lighter, fresher, but still intense. Massive Jarlsberg cheese note there. Lively as hell.
@kristy_kristy: Nose: dark chocolate, creamy, quite savoury... Now cheese has been mentioned I can smell it.
@andrew1bardsley: Young...green bananas. Little less sweet but still a lovely nose.
@jalcock1982: Nose: strong cheese, meaty, difficult to get past at first, shortbread, creamy, vanilla, I like it.
@WorldWhiskyDay: I'm really enjoying this. Beaches, waves, honey, chimney smoke, sea spray! Superb!
@RLemkin: Initial mouthfull had me wondering what it'd be like to try to eat a forest floor.
@sjoerd972: Finish: oak, all of a sudden. Green fruit, bitter at that. gin-like, and engine grease.

Whisky Discovery #527

Old Particular Glen Scotia 21 Year Old (51.5% abv)

Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky

circa £85.00 70cl

Glen Scotia, another distillery I have had little experience of with only one Whisky Discovery recorded on the Liquid Log. Glen Scotia from Campbeltown, the Victorian Whisky capital of the world, is one of the three remaining distilleries from this region.

This 21 Year Old 'Old Particular' Glen Scotia 21 was distilled in May 1992 and matured in a refill barrel, yielding just 240 bottles when bottled in August 2013

So What Did I Think?

With the smells of sweet polished wood and barley husks initially on the nose this turns more earthy with a used Swan Vestas matchbox note to it too (like smelling the strike pad of the box). Fruit appears with dark sweet cherries.

The palate is sweet and earthy, oily peat smoke turning the sweet cherry a little sour, wit h a touch of brine too.

Verdict: I really loved this one and it became my new favourite of the evening. I was beginning to this that this was an old Glen Garioch, but again only got half the name correct. This is a superb Glen Scotia would love to have a bottle of this on the shelf.

So what did the others think?
@steveprentice: Gosh, this one's a slippery changing little one, had an Auchy Valinch nose at first, all gone now and creamy / fruity

@MCRWhiskyClub: Some sort of peppery steak sauce, this is an altogether different beast, very deep, meaty.
@rickfurzer: Nose opening into brazil nut toffee.
@TheWhiskyWire: A whole wealth of sweet & savoury evolving wonders. This dram just will not stand still on the nose.
@cowfish: Touch of the forest floor rancio to this one - damp earth, bark and leaves.
@rickfurzer: Palate: a lot of cocoa on the palate here and back on the Nose.
@MasterOfMaltJM: Palate: Viscous and seriously lip smacking with cigars.

Whisky Discovery #528

Old Particular Bowmore 25 Year Old (50.2% abv)

Islay Single Malt Whisky
Price TBC

From Islay's oldest distillery this 25 Year Old 'Old Particular' Bowmore was distilled in December 1987, matured in a refill hogshead, yielding 234 bottles when bottled in August 2013

So What Did I Think?

The instant I nosed this I was convinced I had an old Bowmore. The nose opens with sweet driftwood beach bonfire smoke and the smell of parma violets

The palate opens with a huge hit of sweet parma violets, much more floral than I was expecting. Once you get over the sweet perfumed notes the driftwood smoke returns, finishing with the gentlest of peat reek and the dying embers of that beach fire with burnt sand and sea salt.

Verdict: Whilst the sweet scented nose initially drew me in there was just a touch too much parma violets on the palate for me. I really thought that this was going to be my favourite of the evening it probably slipped back into second or third with the Glen Scotia in front and Glen Ord just pipping this Bowmore.

So what did the others think?
@steveprentice: Peat! Whoop. I suspect this is old, really old, and probably expensive. And not from Islay?! Humm, must ponder that.

@kristy_kristy: Nose: lightly peated strawberries and cream.
@sjoerd972: Oak leaf lettuce, lavender, some peat, cream and barley, chalk, parma violets. I like.
@jalcock1982: Nose: rum, raisin, smoke, coastal, salt, oily, sherry, faint sulphur, tempting me in.
@PWulf: There is floral fight in my nose: In the right corner heather and and in the left the champ violet.
@cowfish: It's hard to get past the big floral hit on the nose. If you're sensitive to it then it's a bit overpowering. And I am...
@rodbodtoo: Palate is sweet and salty, with quite an oily texture. Lovely
@MaltReview: It's almost a classically well-balanced peated whisky, but just turned up a notch. A charred wood influence here
@SimplzW: Wowzers, Packs a real punch! Salted caramel ice cream, with extra salt, lovely 

And finally.... 

As per previous Tweet Tastings there was a great deal of tweeting going on and to see what happened search on the #OldParticular hashtag on twitter for the full story. Being new single cask releases the were five Whisky Discoveries to record on the Liquid Log as well as a new distillery to log 

A massive THANK YOU to Steve Rush at @TheWhiskyWire and Cara Laing from @DLaingWhisky for sending out all of the samples to us and of course the tweet tasters who were: 

@The WhiskyWire @MasterOfMalt @WorldWhiskyDay @PMaitlando @robertcjackson @jalcock1982 @WhiskyDiscovery @SmokieChops @kristy_kristy @Grahamyus @kizzsmyth @MaltReview @MCRWhiskyClub @rodbodtoo @SimplzW @janmccurdy @andrew1bardsley @steveprentice @cowfish @rickfurzer @andotron @LaCaveDeCobalt @sjoerd972 @JayDieNL @PWulf @fr1day 

For more information see: www.thewhiskywire.com and www.douglaslaing.com