About Us

Wemyss Vintage Malts came into being because of the long standing passion the family of the same name have for malt whisky. It’s as simple as that. The name is pronounced ‘Weems’ and it’s the Scots word for caves.

The family come from Fife and their home, since the turn of the 13th century, is Wemyss Castle which sits on top of an outcrop of rocks and caves three hundred foot above the Firth of Forth looking back towards Edinburgh.

Their connections with the industry date back to the turn of the 19th century when John Haig (founder of Haig’s) built his first distillery on Wemyss land. Even today barley from the Wemyss Estate is prized by many of the leading distillers.

The Malts

Each cask of malt has its own unique character, so it is not suprising that distilleries blend together many different casks to achieve taste consistency for their single malt brands - it makes a lot of sense. We believe that by doing this something can get lost.

Our malts are from a single cask. The casks are meticulously selected, with the help of industry expert Charlie Maclean (author of eight books on the subject of malt whisky), and only the truly exceptional casks are chosen. These casks, due to their individuality, are not necessarily representative of the distillery make and consequently each one is attributed a name based on its own taste and aroma. Due to the nature of a single cask selection supply is very limited and is usually restricted to between three and four hundred bottles.

All are bottled at a minimum of 46% with a select few being bottled at cask strength under The Earl’s Reserve label. None of them are chill-filtered as well as being free of artificial colouring, such as caramel. That way they reach you in their natural state.

For list of available casks please use the navigation bar at the top and select ‘sales’.

The Regions

The core of our philosophy at Wemyss Vintage Malts is that our malts should reflect the region from which they come. Consequently, we present our malts on a regional basis reflecting the different taste profiles.

Currently, there are four different malts in the range: Speyside, Highland, Islay and Lowland.

The following provides a brief overview of the taste profiles of the different regions:

Islay
the most distinctively flavoured of all malts. The island has a bountiful supply of peat which is constantly lashed by the wind, rain and sea. All these elements come through strongly in its malts, often described as ‘seaweed’, ‘iodine’ or even ‘peat monsters’. In all there are eight distilleries, but not all are working.
Highland
the most geographically spread out region which consequently has the most taste diversity. Many of the more northern malts have spicy or heathery characteristics whilst the Eastern Highlands are more fruity.
Speyside
Really a sub region of Highland, but they are noted for their elegance, complexity and sweetness/mellow characteristics. More than 40 distilleries are present in this region which stretches from the River Findhorn in the West to the Deveron in the East, and takes in the Livet.
Lowland
Tends to produce whiskies which are softer and more approachable, with a general lack of peatiness of its Highland cousins. The region today has only two operating distilleries. Generally much more mellow.
Campbeltown
Briny in character with a hint of peatiness. A connoisseur’s region. The region once had about thirty distilleries, today it has only two.

News

Same as Fonty’s Pool web site ie so we can upload Press Releases and also a ‘subscribe to our newsletter’ as a drop down menu.

Sales

You can purchase the full range of single casks directly by filling in the order form below. You will then be contacted for payment. Orders of less than £50 unfortunately necessitate a £6.50 delivery charge to mainland UK. For other destinations please contact us.

(An online order form as per Fonty’s, not secure e-commerce, which arrives via email to do@wdc.co.uk. Must be changeable)

Item Tasting Note Price Quantity
Single Highland Malt, 13 yr old Fruity and juicy on the nose, just like the apples. An all purpose malt. £35.00

Contact Us

Wemyss Vintage Malts Ltd,
Mains House,
East Wemyss,
Fife KY1 4TE

Tel: 01592-651-316
Fax: 1592-653233
Email: info@W-V-M.co.uk (needs setting up)

Trade Info

For enquiries relating to distribution of our products please contact:

United Kingdom

Boutinot uk
Boutinot Limited, Brook House
Northenden Road, Gatley
Cheshire, SK8 4DN

Tel: 0161-908-1300
Email: jeanw@boutinot.com

EU

Rimauresq sarl
c/o Rimauresq SA
Quartier Rimaurets
83790 Pignans
VAR
FRANCE

Tel: +33 494-48-80-45
Email: rimauresq@wanadoo.fr

Australasia

Fonty’s Pool vineyards pty ltd,
PO Box 1709, Manjimup,
WA 6258,
Australia

Tel: +61 8 9777 0788
Email: info@fontyspoolwines.com.au