Wemyss Malts 'Peat Chimney' Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland

"Our family links to the whisky industry date back to 1824," says William Wemyss, the founder and CEO of Wemyss Malts, "when John Haig built his distillery on family land in Fife."Wemyss (pronounced "Weems") is the ancient Gaelic word for caves, and stems from the rocky outcrop on which the Wemyss family home — Castle Wemyss — rests. Haig's distillery eventually became known as Cameron Bridge, and, in 1826, it became the first distillery to produce grain whisky using the column still method invented by Robert Stein. Today, the Wemyss family expertly blends some of the finest whiskies being made across Scotland. "Our whiskies are chosen by a tasting panel," says Wemyss, "and the tasting panel comprises people who work in the business, members of the family, and most importantly, is chaired by Charlie MacLean, who helps us select the industry's best whiskies to bottle under our brand." MacLean, who has been writing about whisky since 1981, was trained in "the sensory evaluation of potable spirits"by the Scotch Whisky Research Institute in 1992. In addition to being a visiting lecturer at the Smithsonian Institution, he is also a Councillor of Clan Maclean, and was elected Master of the Quaich (Quaich is derived from the Gaelic word meaning cup), one of the Scotch industry's highest accolades, in October 2009. Wemyss Malts' Peat Chimney 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a blend of 16 different malt whiskies, each aged for a minimum of 12 years. While the exact recipe of the whisky remains a closely-guarded secret, approximately one-third of the blend is derived from whiskies produced at distilleries situated in the Islay region of Scotland, which have matured in a variety of different casks. Peat Chimney has subtle notes of smoke and moss, followed by bolder notes of peat, smoke and salt on the initial palate. The flavors are smooth and lingering, and soften to notes of cinnamon, oak and chocolate on the long, lingering finish. Peat Chimney 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky earned a score of 90.5 points from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible and also earned the Silver Medal at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2011. Pick up a bottle today!