One Quick Dram: Wemyss “Merchant’s Mahogany Chest” 1991 Glen Scotia Whisky Tasting Notes

Photo Credit: thegreenwellystop.co.uk

Talk about bottles that are hard to come by…..

I was following a Whisky Wire tweet tasting of Wemyss Malts whiskys last month, on twitter. They were tasting some of the Wemyss new Single Cask Releases. There was a Mortlach and a Glen Scotia, and it sounded from the tasting that the Glen Scotia was really special. As I wasn’t on the panel of tasters, and Wemyss isn’t imported to Israel, I really had only one resort – beg for a sample!

Luckily, my friend Yoav of the outstanding Whisky Gospel Blog set some of the sample he got aside for me, and I’m able to share my tasting notes with you. Yoav’s tasting notes for this whisky can be found here.

The whisky was aged in a sherry butt, and is complex and thoroughly enjoyable. If you come across one of these in a store, don’t leave it behind – this is a single cask and won’t ever be back. You also might also consider calling me for my credit card number so you can ship one of these here  😉

Wemyss 1991 Glen Scotia Single Cask Release “Merchant’s Mahogany Chest” Bottled 2013 (46% ABV, NC, NCF)

Color: Rich dark bronze, legs are spaced out and slow.

Nose: An old library next door to a bazaar selling spices, dried fruits and tobacco. The operative word here is old. There’s old well used leather, old dusty books in a room with a wood burning fire place (not smoke, though), old spices – not freshely ground.
You’ll also find sandalwood, clove and hints of licorice and a scent that threw me back some 40 years to the Old Spice cologne remnants on my grandfather’s face at the end of the day. There is also a sherry sweetness there, with raisns and some cocoa powder sprinkled over a cappuccino (with the cocoa dominating the weak coffee aroma).
I’ll also note that after you finish the dram, nosing the glass will give almost pure bittersweet chocolate (85% and above).

Palate: Lots of sherry sweetness with sweet dried fruit cake, dried apricot roll leder. The whisky is thick and chewy, tart on the sides of the tongue and sweet in the center.

linger: Medium in alcoholic linger but the tastes linger for a very long time in the mouth. There’s some dryness left in the linger with sweet notes of dried cherries, sweet pipe tobacco and a sweeter bittersweet chocolate.

I can just imagine what this whisky would be like at cask strength, opening it up drop by drop….Or, put in the immortal words of John Lennon: “You, you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one”…. 

A huge thanks to Yoav for not finishing the sample. It took real strength of character! Sláinte, my friend!