The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B
Wemyss Toffee Glaze Single Cask
(Credit: Wemyss Malts)
Wemyss Malts’ Toffee Glaze Single Cask is a find from Clynelish, a Highlands distillery in Brora, and one with one of the more twisty stories in Scotland. The original Clynelish opened its doors back in 1819 and closed them in 1968, when Clynelish opened a new facility literally across the road. The original and historic distillery then reopened a year later as Brora. Operations at Brora continued to 1983, when that old girl of a building was finally shuttered (presumably) for good, but Brora’s spirits continue to appear in very aged expressions.
Whiskey fans have good reasons to pay attention to that story, as the current whiskey boom has led many outfits to invest in new distilleries. The Macallan, for instance, recently announced plans to build a new £100 million facility, and to eventually mothball the old one. Following the example of Brora, how long will the old Macallan facility remain idle?
Back to Clynelish and the Toffee Glaze Single Cask. This expression was distilled in 1997, making it a 16 year old, and the hogshead yielded 258 bottles at the customary 46% abv.
The Scotch
Wemyss Toffee Glaze comes into the glass with a full-bodied, gold color. The nose carries a predominately floral, apple and lemon scent, with dashes of salt, nutmeg, and ash. The aroma cuts towards the dry side, but that is the only facet of this whiskey that runs that way.
The fruity aspect from the nose falls off the boat when the scotch hits the tongue. The toffee comes up here, but shares center stage with measures of woodiness, pepper, vanilla, and smoke. Toffee is what carries over into the finish too, the keynote that winds down pleasantly into lingering, moderate warmth.
The Price
I’ve found the Wemyss Toffee Glaze priced in the United States for about $90, which roughly corresponds to it’s British listing of about £60. Some vendors listed this scotch for much higher, so watch out.
