Blended malts have gained cachet over the past decade or so. Douglas Laing has played an important role with their Remarkable Regional Malts, and Monkey Shoulder is huge. But Wemyss Malts has long been active as well. The new A Quarter Passed, a 25-year-old whisky, might be Wemyss most prestigious blended malt to date.
Except for their Kingsbarns releases, Wemyss Malts have been operating under my radar. I had to check if their independent bottlings were still imported to the Netherlands. They are, so it could just be me, but I can’t say I’ve come across any of their releases in shops recently.
Checking Whiskybase confirms that they’ve slowed down their independent single cask releases ever since the mid-2010s. And it makes sense, I guess. The company added distiller to its CV once Kingsbarns Distillery was opened, which I imagine took up a considerable amount of their time and resources.
Even still, Wemyss Malts remains an important player on the independent bottling scene. For example, I fondly remember a particularly affordable 25-year-old Mortlach, bottled just a few years ago. Not as competitively priced, the new Wemyss Malts 25 Years – A Quarter Passed also isn’t outrageously expensive in the current marketplace.
Wemyss Malts’ A Quarter Passed matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels and was bottled at a high strength (if not cask strength). A total of 1500 bottles were made available worldwide.
Wemyss Malts 25 Years – A Quarter Passed (53.6%, Wemyss Malts, 2023)
Nose: Certainly more shy initially than I would’ve expected, but nothing that can’t be cured with a bit of patience. Slightly mineral maybe, but mostly notes of lemon, Greek yoghurt and coconut water. Somewhat leafy also, with a tinge of moss, but also elegant floral touches and a whiff of aloe vera.
Taste: Somewhat creamy mouthfeel. Immediately hints of chalk, nectarines and lemon zest, just a touch of mead, certainly a good amount of vanilla pods and meringue, and definitely a good pinch of white pepper. It’s the kind of profile that suits me. However, there’s a grassy bitterness I could do without. Nothing to really worry about though.
Finish: Medium length. Hints of ginger and white pepper with lawn clippings, as well as coconut shavings.
Sample provided by Wemyss Malts
