Wemyss Malts Castle Collection Opens with a Ten Year Old Glenglassaugh

A new age stated series

Wemyss Malts of Edinburgh is launching The Castle Collection, its first dedicated range of age stated, independently bottled single malts. The first release is Glenglassaugh 10 Years Old The Castle Collection Wemyss Malts, listed on the label as Series No. 001.

The key facts: ten years fully matured in ex sherry casks, 46% ABV, natural colour, non chill filtered, 70cl. The UK recommended price is around €65 (£54), which we find accessible for ten years in sherry casks. Wemyss says quantities are limited, and the announcement gives no exact number.

Bought before it was whisky

What stands out most is how the series comes about. According to Wemyss, much of the whisky in the series was not bought fully mature but as new make, then matured under its own stewardship. Production Director Isabella Wemyss selects the spirit at the distillery and oversees its maturation.

For an independent bottler, that is in our view a remarkable bet on the future, as it takes years to see whether a cask delivers on what the young spirit promises. "Some of the most exciting decisions happen long before a whisky reaches the bottle," says Isabella Wemyss.

Why Glenglassaugh

Founded in 1875, the distillery stands on Scotland's north-east coast overlooking Sandend Bay and, according to Wemyss, is known for combining ripe fruit with a maritime influence. It was silent from 1986 to 2008, and Wemyss says independent bottlings remain rather uncommon. By our reckoning, a ten year old therefore clearly comes from the time after the restart.

Wemyss describes dried fruit, toffee, caramel and oak spice, balanced by coastal freshness, with a long, warming finish and a gentle maritime note. If you would like to compare, Spiritory lists Glenglassaugh 12 Years Old from the distillery itself and Glenglassaugh 8 Years Old 2015 from Cadenhead's, among others. How the sherry casks get along with the coastal character is, for us, the most interesting question about this whisky.

From single cask to collection

Wemyss has released age statements before, for example on individual cask bottlings, which often carry names of their own, such as A Salt On The Senses or The Entertainer. The new series is named after Wemyss Castle, the family's ancestral home in Fife, and also brings back the brand's original logo. Handwritten details and a parchment style paper with perforated edges complete the look, as if the label had been applied by hand.

Glenglassaugh 10 Years Old The Castle Collection Wemyss Malts has its own page on Spiritory, where you can place a bid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Castle Collection from Wemyss Malts?

The first dedicated range from Wemyss Malts of age stated, independently bottled single malts. It is to bring together whiskies from different Scottish distilleries and is named after Wemyss Castle in Fife.

What is the first release?

A ten year old Glenglassaugh, fully matured in ex sherry casks, at 46% ABV, with natural colour and no chill filtration.

What does it cost?

The UK recommended price is around €65 (£54).

What does it taste like?

Wemyss describes dried fruit, toffee, caramel and oak spice with coastal freshness, and a long, warming finish with a gentle maritime note.