Velvet Fig, which was first released in 2014 to rave reviews, has returned in the form of a 25-year-old sherry cask blended malt composed with Highlands, Speyside and Islay whiskies.
At the time of its release, Velvet Fig was Wemyss Malts' first limited-edition blended malt. It went on to win Best Scotch Blended Malt at the World Whiskies Awards in 2015. While the original expression is now finished, the reverence in which it is held by some whisky fans convinced Wemyss Malts to find a way of bringing it back.
In 2019 Isabella Wemyss, production director for Wemyss Malts, secured five casks of 1994 vintage sherry cask matured malt whisky from undisclosed distilleries in the Highlands and Speyside. The blending team used these as a base to develop the new Velvet Fig recipe, combining the casks with unpeated, sherry matured Bunnahabain from the Wemyss collection to add richness and wood tannin.
Wemyss Malts says the resulting whisky is fruity, rich and complex, with a deep copper colour, aromas of antique wood and leather and flavours of dark fruits and chocolate. The non-chill filtered whisky has been bottled at 42.3% ABV and carries a 25 years old age statement.
The new Velvet Fig was unveiled at Wemyss Malts' 15th anniversary celebration at Gosford House on 4 February and went on sale with specialist retailers in the UK, EU and Asia on 25 February, with a recommended sale price of £126.