Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/931490
56 / the tasting panel / january/february 2018 SCOTCH PEAT CHIMNEY Roughly ten single malts are also used in the base blend for the Peat Chimney (46% ABV, SRP $70). The signature malt hails from Islay, a region known for the heavily- peated and smoky characters of its malts. Aromas of freshly-doused campfire and earth fill the palate, while underlying notes of carda- mom and coriander mingle with crisp aromas of lemon. "It was a perfect blend for my palate and is a whiskey I would buy for my own enjoyment," said consultant and educator Bob Cunningham during the tast- ing. "While I was not familiar with the Wemyss blends previously, this experience demonstrated their inherent worth and com- plexity, and I would encourage everyone to try the full range of their blends." SPICE KING The Spice King (46% ABV, SRP $70) features a blend of at least ten single malts, with the signature malt coming from the Highlands— an area known for producing deeply-flavored malty and spicy whiskies. Spice King exhibits notes of toasted oats, peppercorns, and heather with enhanced spiciness and an interesting undertone of maritime salinity. Johan Hagstrom of Bevy and The Living Room at New York's Park Hyatt Hotel selected Spice King as his top blend of the evening. "As a bartender, I have used both single malts and blended whiskies in my drinks for different reasons, one being price," he said. "I don't think there is less value to a blended scotch, as long as there is passion and craft put into the production; on these principles, Wemyss delivers." The Whiskies Though Wemyss officially defines itself as an independent bottling company, it also releases a wide range of extremely limited–production single-cask single malts and has recently built its own distillery at Kingsbarns to better manage and expand its production. The core of the Wemyss Malts portfolio consists of the aforementioned award-winning blended malt whisky range: The Hive, Spice King, and Peat Chimney. Wemyss uses up to ten separate "base" single malts when creating the three blends, all of which are non-chill-filtered. A detailed blending setup greeted attendees of the Wemyss Malts Blending Workshop. Attendees welcome William Wemyss during the workshop. THE HIVE Up to ten single malts are used in this blend (46% ABV, SRP $70), with the signature malt coming from Speyside. The Hive exemplifies the area's style— known for producing malts with sweet and rich characteristics that show floral and honey notes—while building in hints of cinna- mon, ginger, and orange. Sommelier Nicolas Prieto, an attendee at the New York tasting who works as an Event Services Manager/Sommelier at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, named The Hive as his favorite of the trio. "It's approachable and easy to drink, good with or without food, and best of all, its flavors easily mix with both cold- or warm-weather cocktails," he explained. "People sometimes think that because the whisky comes from a single malt it's of better quality, but this is not always true. Personally, I think a high- quality blend is even better than a single malt, and the Wemyss blends happen to fall into this category."