New Highland Scotch Blended Malt Finished in Ex-Madeira Barrels

Finishing whiskey in ex-fortified wine barrels increasingly seems to be a no-brainer for distillers and bottlers looking to create spirits with a little extra edge in the crowded marketplace. Scottish independent bottler Wemyss Malts has now joined this trend, unveiling a blended Scotch malt finished in casks which previously held Madeira wine.

The new Wemyss Malts Nectar Grove, as it is called, brings together selected Highland region Scotch whiskies and finishes them for an unmentioned time in the ex-fortfired wine casks. This particular expression is said to be of natural color and non-chill filtered. It is non-age statement as well, bottled at 46% ABV.

“We are delighted with the results of our first ‘finished’ blended malt,’ said William Wemyss, Founder and Managing Director at Wemyss Malts, in a prepared statement. “Nectar Grove continues our line of limited edition blended malts which has previously included World Whisky Award winners Velvet Fig and Kiln Embers.”

Plans call for 9,000 bottles of this whisky to be made available in select global markets, at a price point of around £44, or about $65 USD. You’ll find limited official tasting notes below as well for your consideration.

The fruity and complex sweet flavours of Madeira wine and reminiscent of a ripe fruit grove of peaches, nectarines and citrus. The finish is of gentle oak spice, sweet pastries and juicy stone fruits.