“Nuts!”
Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands
Brand: Wemyss Malts Fruit and Nut Fudge 1989
Specially Selected By: Wemyss Vintage Malt Ltd.
Procured from: Cigars and Spirits
Specially Selected By: Wemyss Vintage Malt Ltd.
Procured from: Cigars and Spirits
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 19/20 Years
Age: 19/20 Years
ABV: 46%
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 587
Buying Advice: 😞 Negative. Very plain for a mature Single Malt.
Colour: Golden Sunlight (Natural Colour)
Palate: Better - and a little more interesting than expected after the boring Nose. It's slightly Creamy, Bitter-Sweet, Herbal, Spicy and Hot. Dry towards the end. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. I find Toasted Cereals, Toast, Charred Oak, Brown Sugar, light Vanilla, Toffee, light Citrus, Nectarine, Nut Shells, Dried Herbs, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol and a hint of Dairy or perhaps White Chocolate.
Rating: 78.5
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 587
Buying Advice: 😞 Negative. Very plain for a mature Single Malt.
Colour: Golden Sunlight (Natural Colour)
Nose: My first impression is that there's not too much going on here. I would have expected much more depth and complexity given the age of this Malt. The Alcohol is certainly noticeable and I also get something that reminds me of Varnish. This Malt certainly needs some time in the glass to open up. After some time I find Toasted Cereals, Butter Biscuits, light Floral tones, Dried Herbs, Oak, light Heather, light Lemon, light Caramel, light Resin, Refined Sugar and Bread Dough. No idea why this is called Fruit and Nut Fudge. With some imagination I think I get some slightly bitter Almonds and perhaps a tiny bit of Dried Apricot. But that's all. After half an hour or so I get some Vanilla and Cinnamon from the cask as well as some unripe Nectarine. I'm quite disappointed with this Malt. It actually smells more like an indifferent Blended Whisky than a mature Single Cask malt.
Palate: Better - and a little more interesting than expected after the boring Nose. It's slightly Creamy, Bitter-Sweet, Herbal, Spicy and Hot. Dry towards the end. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. I find Toasted Cereals, Toast, Charred Oak, Brown Sugar, light Vanilla, Toffee, light Citrus, Nectarine, Nut Shells, Dried Herbs, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol and a hint of Dairy or perhaps White Chocolate.
Finish: Middle-Long, slightly Creamy, Hot, Herbal and Spicy. Sweet at first but Dry and a little Bitter towards the end. I find Toasted Cereals, Toasted Oak, Toffee, light Vanilla, Nut Shells, Dried Herbs, Herbal Tea, Nectarine, Dusty Road, Varnish, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Menthol.
I added a little Water and the Alcohol and Varnish retreat on the Nose. Some faint Floral and Fruity notes appear. On the Palate and in the Finish the Malt becomes less Hot & Spicy but also quite Thin. A bit of extra Mint-Toffee perhaps. I suggest you carefully add a few drops at a time to find the ABV level that best suits you.
Rating: 78.5
Nose: 18.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 19.5
General Remarks:
The Wemyss Family has been involved in the Single Malt business ever since the turn of the 19th century when John Haig built his first distillery on Wemyss land.
Their range of Single Cask Whiskies was conceived with the aim of making them more accessible and understandable. That's why the Wemyss Malts are named after the Aromas and Flavours rather than simply mentioning the Distillery name. A Wemyss tasting panel, lead by Isabella Wemyss and Charlie MacLean have the pleasant task of identifying the casks that will be used for the Blended Malt - or Single Cask range.
The Wemyss Malts Fruit and Nuts Fudge 1989 matured in Ex-Bourbon casks and was bottled in 2009/2010. The spirit was distilled in 1989 at the Aberfeldy distillery, located in Aberfeldy (Pertshire) in the Southern Highlands. It won't be easy to find at this moment but I saw it on the Internet at around 75 US Dollars (January 2017). Aberfeldy is owned by John Dewar & Sons Ltd, part of the Bacardi Group. Most of the output is used in Dewar's White Label and the 12Y -, 18Y - and Signature Blends. The core Single Malt range consists since 2014 of the 12, 16 and 21 Years old as well as an 18 Years old exclusively for the Travel Retail Shops.
Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average.
General Remarks:
The Wemyss Family has been involved in the Single Malt business ever since the turn of the 19th century when John Haig built his first distillery on Wemyss land.
Their range of Single Cask Whiskies was conceived with the aim of making them more accessible and understandable. That's why the Wemyss Malts are named after the Aromas and Flavours rather than simply mentioning the Distillery name. A Wemyss tasting panel, lead by Isabella Wemyss and Charlie MacLean have the pleasant task of identifying the casks that will be used for the Blended Malt - or Single Cask range.
The Wemyss Malts Fruit and Nuts Fudge 1989 matured in Ex-Bourbon casks and was bottled in 2009/2010. The spirit was distilled in 1989 at the Aberfeldy distillery, located in Aberfeldy (Pertshire) in the Southern Highlands. It won't be easy to find at this moment but I saw it on the Internet at around 75 US Dollars (January 2017). Aberfeldy is owned by John Dewar & Sons Ltd, part of the Bacardi Group. Most of the output is used in Dewar's White Label and the 12Y -, 18Y - and Signature Blends. The core Single Malt range consists since 2014 of the 12, 16 and 21 Years old as well as an 18 Years old exclusively for the Travel Retail Shops.
Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average.
Conclusion: I was very curious as I only tasted one other Aberfeldy before. (Aberfeldy 1994 Old Malt Cask). Unfortunately I was very disappointed with this Wemyss Expression. The Nose of this Aberfeldy is very plain and to be honest resembles more an average Blended Scotch. On the Palate and in the Finish it's better but never really convinces. Too much Spices, Herbs, Menthol and Alcohol and too little Fruit and Nut Fudge. I really can't understand why it's called this way! It will be very difficult to find this expression nowadays but I would advise against buying a full bottle anyway if you should find it. Better try out a sample first like I did. If they are still around that is. I procured mine via Cigars & Spirits.
Jan van den Ende January 9, 2017
Aberfeldy Distillery
"Nuts" was the famous negative response of the American General Anthony McAuliffe in Bastoge (Belgium) in December 1944 when the Germans suggested him to surrender the surrounded city during the Battle of the Bulge.
