Wemyss Malts (Scotland’s leading independent whisky curators) Unveil Winter Collection Of Five Rare Single Cask Whiskies

Scotland’s leading independent whisky curators Wemyss Malts has unveiled a captivating winter collection of five unique single cask whiskies. These rare expressions, meticulously selected from some of Scotland’s finest distilleries, showcase the distinct characteristics influenced by production, season and cask maturation.

Released throughout November, the collection has been crafted by a team of experts under the leadership of Isabella Wemyss, Director of Production at Wemyss with each single cask whisky in this collection a limited edition, reflecting the nuances of its origin. The number of bottles yielded in each cask varies.

The range includes a 28-year-old Glen Spey priced at £425, a 20-year-old Bunnahabhain priced at £275, and a 13-year-old Port Dundas malt priced at £88. Each whisky is given an evocative name and presented in premium packaging, making them highly coveted by whisky enthusiasts and connoisseurs:

A Rich Repose | 28 YO Glen Spey | £425
ABV: 46%
Bottles in cask: 142

Glen Spey stands out as a unique single malt whisky from Speyside. This is a languorous dram, a vintage 1994 single cask malt with hints of menthol, fruity compotes and a chocolate finish. It has a touch of light oiliness to the spirit enhanced with a nutty essence and added texture because of the use of purifiers used in Glen Spey’s spirit stills, which are operated at a low pressure so that more of the spirit is distilled again before its condensed.

Dusty oak, a hint of menthol, orange marmalade on fresh toast with an abundance of rich dried fruit on the nose with gentle flavours of moreish, juicy apricot developing into dark red berries with a melted white chocolate, figs and red grape on the palate leaving a finish of crystallised ginger, fruity sherry & orange peel, with a hint of bitter drying dark chocolate.

Suit The Breeze | 13 YO Port Dundas | £88
ABV: 46%
Bottles in cask: 357

Established in 1811, Port Dundas stood as a prominent Lowland grain distillery, reaching its pinnacle as the largest whisky producer in Scotland. Despite enduring several fires in the 20th century, the distillery ultimately yielded and ceased operations in 2011.

Suit the Breeze is a vintage 2009 rare single cask dram matured in a hogshead cask, which transports you into a lush landscape redolent of the Scottish countryside in Spring.

Port Dundas typically has notes of vanilla and caramel with a lovely mouthfeel and texture and this enticing dram does not disappoint with vanilla oak spice, woody, light and clean on the nose with floral springtime, refreshing summer berries, stewed bramble apples with a touch of golden syrup, oak spice & vanilla pastry on the palate resulting in a short, refreshing finish with a hint of citrus bitterness.

Intrepid Mariner | 20-Year-Old Bunnahabhain | £275.00
ABV: 46%
Bottles in cask: 273

Bunnahabhain has earned its reputation as the more understated among the Islay Malts, characterised 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 this distinctly oily and largely unpeated whisky that has garnered acclaim among whisky enthusiasts worldwide. This vintage 2002 single malt is awash with coastal spray, dried fruit and a tingling spice to finish. On the nose, you’ll find sherried, salty, unpeated and coastal shores with a creamy mouth feel with a dried fruit influence and strong notes of coastal sea salt, indulgent caramel, subtle hints of nuts and tingling spice.

Heliotrope Fancy | 14 YO Tobermory | £100
ABV: 46%
Bottles in cask: 377

Tobermory is the only distillery on the picturesque Hebridean Isle of Mull, lying off the west coast of Scotland, south of the remote Ardnamurchan and Morvern peninsulas. This vintage 2008 Highland single cask is a traveller through time with its bright, bold nose of parma violets and lavender with notes of fresh yoghurt and barnyard, which leads to a sour yeasty fruit-filled finish.

Punchy on the palate with a subtle sweetness of apple, floral notes and honeydew with a hint of rosewater, Heliotrope Fancy delivers a medium to long finish with an impressive herbal and earthy finale.

Zephyr & Bloom | 15 YO Dailuaine | £85
ABV: 46%
Bottles in cask: 743

Dailuaine derives from the Gaelic ‘An dail uaine’ meaning ‘green valley’. Considering the distillery’s idyllic placement among the gentle green undulations of the Spey valley, this vintage 2007 single cask malt literally brims with bold orchard fruits with buttery baked pears, green apples and strawberries with cream on the nose. The fruitiness carries through on the palate with a general cereal character building into vanilla and icing sugar with a short to medium crescendo of white pepper, vanilla, red apples and pencil shavings.

With a meticulous approach to cask selection and blending, Wemyss Malts goes beyond the familiar territories of region, age and finish to create exceptional Scotch whiskies that leave a rich and lasting impression.

A family business, Wemyss Malts was founded in 2005, by William Wemyss. William’s sister Isabella expertly selects the finest single malts from Scotland’s dynamic regions to create a portfolio of beautifully crafted expressions.

The Wemyss Family’s centuries-old heritage is rooted in Fife, on Scotland’s picturesque East Coast. Sitting atop ancient caves formed within sea cliffs, the dramatic Wemyss Castle is their ancestral home and brand emblem. Commenting on the release, Isabella Wemyss, said: Commenting on the new release of single cask expressions, Isabella Wemyss, Director of Production, said:
“Our single cask collection celebrates the exceptional whisky distilleries based across Scotland and it’s a privilege to be able to bring these whiskies to market. Each single cask is beautifully crafted to deliver a myriad of complex and signature flavours with the packaging reflecting its premium nature with the romance and essence of the distilleries captured in the names and design. These are extremely rare expressions, limited editions designed for special occasions, to be shared with friends or enjoyed in quiet moments of solitude.”

The new Single Cask collection was launched initially as an exclusive to Wemyss Malts Cask Club members through Wemyss’ online shop throughout November with availability expanding to select retailers globally thereafter. For more information on Wemyss Malts, you can visit their official website and shop: Wemyss Single Cask Collection