The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Emma Briones
Rating: C+
Wemyss Vanilla Burst vatted malt
(Credit: Wemyss Malts)
The family run, independent bottler, Wemyss Malts, has recently released a new range of blended Scotch malt whiskies. The new range has been produced with the family’s private collection of maturing whisky casks.
The range is called “Wemyss Family Collection” and will provide new expressions every year, focusing on casks that show the perfect balance between wood and whisky to craft new blended malts. In what is becoming a tradition among Wemyss Malt releases, each new bottle has been given flavor led names by the Wemyss tasting panel.
The first release of the Wemyss Family Collection range is Wemyss Malt Vanilla Burst. This expression is a blend of only two Speyside single malts that, according to the independent bottler, had a light and fruity character. Those single malts were chosen to mature in 15 first fill ex-bourbon barrels.
The result is a limited edition of 4,800 bottles of a blend influenced by the intense first fill bourbon wood on a light Speyside single malt Scotch. Wemyss Malt Vanilla Burst has been bottled without chill-filtration with natural color at 46% abv (92 proof).
The Scotch
Wemyss Malt Vanilla Burst is straw golden in the glass and has lengthy tears. On the nose, the first impact is clearly a sweet vanilla scent, that develops with hints of a malty side. It continues with orchard fruits, mostly apples, and a subtle citrus note. It is fresh and fruity, with a few spices and a touch of cinnamon.
On the palate, Wemyss Malt Vanilla Burst has a medium body and it is warm and mellow. It starts with a bold spicy side, that is quickly followed by the sweet notes. There is an obvious presence of vanilla, hence the name, but on the palate it expands its sweet side. There are baked apples, hints of butter cookies and a slight touch of citrus zest.
Towards the end of the dram it is still warm but becomes a little dry. The finish is quite lengthy, with peppery notes and some lingering vanilla.
Wemyss Malt Vanilla Burst is a nice and young blend, and it works perfectly if you are looking for a sweet blend. You can clearly feel the influence of the cask effect, as Wemyss Malts intended, but it would have been great if the blend had a little bit more complexity to deepen.
The Price
Wemyss Malt Vanilla Burst is officially available in the UK, EU and key Asian markets. It is retailed at £43.
