Kingsbarns DistilleryWemyss Malts has announced the return of its popular whisky blend Velvet Fig in time for the festive season – this time bolstered with a 12-year-old age statement.
The limited release is the work of Wemyss Malts blender, Isabella Wemyss, who is seeking to top the two previous sell-out editions with a bottling that has been enriched by over a decade of sherry cask maturation and careful cask marriage.
Wemyss Malts is part of Wemyss Family Spirits, the independent, family-run Fife business that owns Kingsbarns Distillery and Darnley’s Gin.
Isabella said: “This release is continuing the legacy of the Velvet Fig series and will be true to previous releases with it being a fruit-forward, sherry-led profile with small-batch quality.
“We have carefully selected six first-fill sherry casks, three hogsheads and three butts, which we filled between June and November 2012.
“Usually, we marry whiskies in the casks for a few weeks, but we’ve taken a different approach with this release and allowed the whiskies to fully mature in sherry-seasoned oak casks for five months, bringing out a high-quality flavour and texture,” she said.
The six first-fill sherry hogsheads and butts used in this release were sourced from The Speyside Cooperage, part of Wemyss Malts’ long-standing approach to selecting casks for their individual flavour and texture.
Isabella added: “This is a whisky that is packed with flavour with a velvety mouthfeel. On the nose you will find red and blackberry, fig, milk chocolate with notes of marzipan and walnut.
“On the palate, ripe figs, dates, apricots, with the spice of nutmeg, ginger and chestnut which then finishes with cinnamon, pipe tobacco and sweet oak.
“Velvet Fig has always been known for its rich, fruit-forward character and smooth sherry influence. This new release stays true to that style, but the added age and extra time in cask have really taken the flavour up a notch.”
Bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and with natural colour, Velvet Fig will be available in limited quantities via the Wemyss Family Spirits online store and select specialist whisky retailers.
