Wemyss Spice King 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Wemyss Spice King 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

"Our family links to the whisky industry date back to 1824," says William Wemyss, the founder and CEO of Wemyss Malts, "when John Haig built his distillery on family land in Fife."Wemyss (pronounced "Weems") is the ancient Gaelic word for caves and stems from the rocky outcrop on which the Wemyss family home Castle Wemyss rests. Haig's distillery eventually became known as Cameron Bridge and in 1826, it became the first distillery to produce grain whisky using the column still method invented by Robert Stein. Today, the Wemyss family expertly blends some of the finest whiskies made across Scotland. "Our whiskies are chosen by a tasting panel" says Wemyss, "and the tasting panel comprises people who work in the business, members of the family, and most importantly, is chaired by Charlie MacLean who helps us select the industry's best whiskies to bottle under our brand." MacLean, who has been writing about whisky since 1981, was trained in "the sensory evaluation of potable spirits"by the Scotch Whisky Research Institute in 1992. In addition to being a visiting lecturer at the Smithsonian Institution, he is also a Councillor of Clan Maclean and was elected Master of the Quaich (Quaich is derived from the Gaelic word meaning cup), one of the Scotch industry's highest accolades, in October 2009. Wemyss Spice King 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a blend of 16 different malt whiskies, each aged for a minimum of 12 years. While the exact recipe of the whisky remains a closely-guarded secret, approximately one-third of the blend is derived from whiskies produced at distilleries situated in the Highlands region of Scotland, which have matured in a variety of different casks. Despite its name, Spice King has a sweet aroma, with hints of vanilla and honey that are complemented by notes of oak and toffee. The initial flavor is slightly sweet, but fades to bold notes of spices, including cinnamon apple, white pepper and baking spices with a touch of smoke and salt. The medium-long finish ends with a sweet hint of vanilla. Spice King 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky earned the title "Best Blended Malt Scotch"from Whisky Magazine in 2013. In addition, it earned the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013 and the Silver Medal at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2011. Pick up a bottle today!