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Whisky Review: Wemyss Spice King

We review Wemyss Spice King, an eight year old blended malt whisky from a venerable family in Scotland.

OVERALL RATING

6
$45.00
  • Kirk Sig is a whisky connoisseur known for his candid and investigative approach to whisky reviews.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Blended malt Scotch whisky; 70cl; 40% abv; $45-55 price range.
Appearance:
Amber with slushy young legs, and haphazard beading.
Nose:
Baby vomit; marine air; burned plastic; cumin; fried plantain; wet sand. Peat comes through, along with the subdued, yet still fiery, temper of a young spirit with no wood presence to speak of.
Palate:
Think Talisker mixed with olive oil and melted vanilla ice cream. The spicy attack is just not there; it’s been replaced by a watery alternative with saccharine-like overtones. I’m also getting notes of camphor, fried egg, brown sugar, and petroleum jelly. The length of the finish is short. On the deathbed, one’s tongue feels coated with a layer of wet, vanilla-flavored sand.
Finish:
Comments:
The muted, though obvious, Talisker note in Spice King 8 Year Old could have been better presented. While sipping at this dram, I found myself craving a fiery young Talisker in a less adulterated form, such as 57 Degrees North. Other whiskies in the Spice King seemed to detract from my overall impression. They tend to sweeten and stretch out what otherwise might have been a nice, smoky, Island dram. Perhaps it’s worth mentioning that a bottle of Talisker 10-Year-Old costs about the same as an eight year-old Spice King in many parts of the United States.rnrnAll told, it was fun trying a peaty blended malt from Wemyss, a company, which, on occasion, been known to steal the show with amazing single malt Scotch whiskies from handpicked casks. In fact, if you are a fan of delicately complex peated Scotch, then keep an eye out for “Mocha on the Deck.” 668 bottles of this promising broth were produced from a nineteen year old cask of Bowmore. Just remember: you get what you pay for. Wemyss’s 1998 Bowmore is priced at $130.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Whisky Kirk

Kirk Sig's fascination with Scottish whisky ignited in 1987 during a visit to Edinburgh. In the ensuing three and a half decades, he has cultivated an extensive understanding of distilleries, the whisky industry, and the global whisky landscape.

Kirk prides himself on providing candid and unvarnished reviews, eschewing the prevalent flattery and fluff that often permeate whisky commentary. This direct approach has occasionally ruffled feathers in influential circles, which he views as a testament to his commitment to prioritize the interests of the consumer.

Embracing the spirit of investigative journalism, Kirk's reviews delve deeper, leaving no stone—or cask—unturned. He believes in transparency and ensures that readers are privy to any noteworthy findings, fostering an informed and empowered whisky community.

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