Wemyss Ginger Spice Single Cask Scotch Review (2013)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A

With Wemyss Malts distillery not set to open for a year, and any actual scotch coming out of that distillery not destined for market until years after that, for the time being the company continues as a whiskey negociant, or a small whiskey-maker in the business of buying sourced whiskey from a variety of distilleries for use in their own blends. Or, as is the case in Wemyss’s Single Cask line, for release as limited edition single malts.

Ginger Spice is part of the Wemyss Spring 2013 Single Cask release. As a rule, these scotches are limited edition, single barrel runs bottled at 46% abv. Ginger Spice was distilled in 1988 at Glenrothes and aged in a sherry butt, making it a 25 year old limited to a run of 660 bottles.

The Scotch
In my snifter, Ginger Spice has a full-bodied, bright gold coloring. The whiskey is very aromatic, easily carrying a little scent out of the glass and halfway across the room, so nosing it was a real treat. The smell is almost like a liquorized pie, with an apples and plums sweetness seasoned with a hefty helping of freshly grated ginger. The only reason I write “almost” is because of the noticeable trace of musty wood,  a note pointing straight to the age of this scotch.

The palate has a duller sweetness to it, fruity without being distinct, and spicy with ginger at the front and a little dry pepper at the back. In between is a steady undercurrent of leathery wood. The finish was a little dry and woody, and unfolded along, warm-but-light lines.

Ginger Spice is superbly balanced, pleasant to sip and absolutely lovely to nose. If you like your scotch to come from Speyside and blanche at the price tag, don’t. This is a solid premium buy.

The Price
Wemyss Ginger Spice is priced at $150 in the U.S., but I have seen online retailers in the U.S., U.K., and Europe pricing it a bit higher than that, so beware.