Velvet Fig (Wemyss Malts)

Velvet Fig is the latest NAS release from Wemyss. It’s a limited edition blended malt, matured entirely in Oloroso sherry casks. It’s also the first blended malt from Wemyss to be non-chill-filtered and bottled at 46%.

Velvet Fig (46%, Wemyss Malts 2014, blended malt, 6000 btl.)

Nose: starts just slightly meaty and too caramelly maybe, but it clears up nicely, leaving a thoroughly sherried whisky. Lots of blackberries, forest fruit jam, black cherries, Christmas cake and indeed… dried figs. Sticky toffee. Spicy notes too, mainly cinnamon and clove.

Mouth: very thick, sweet and spicy. Lots of caramelized apple, rum-soaked raisins and cherry liqueur. Muscovado. Dates, dried apricots and fig bread. Light pepper and nutmeg. Fruit cake. Hints of glühwein. Some woody notes and walnut skin towards the end.

Finish: long, warm, with roasted chestnut and

Despite the obvious youngness of the ensemble, this is packed with first-fill sherry cask flavours. A little on the sticky sweet side for me, but a suited dram for the upcoming Christmas season. On its way to stores. Around € 45.

Score: 82/100