Wemyss Malts Journal

So, what is the difference between whisky and whiskey? Is it just the spelling or is there more to separate these spirits? The first term to exist - whisky (without an e) - derives from an old Gaelic word 'usquebaugh' meaning 'water of life'. It is a combination of 'uisge' meaning water and 'beatha' meaning life. The translation has, of course, been used to describe many drinks over time such as Aqua Vida or Eau de Vie. The split into whiskey (with an e), however, came in the 1870s when Scotch wasn't doing so well and the Irish wanted to differentiate their spirit...

Kirsty Mackinnon, our Brand Manager here at Wemyss Malts, has kindly set aside some time to talk to us about her brand, her ideas and how she's personalised it to her tastes and thoughts. We ran through a few questions with her earlier in the week! What was the state of the brand when you first joined? The brand was in a healthy place but in order to adapt for the future, I think we were all aware that changes had to happen. My predecessor had already done a lot of research into what needed to happen and we were...

The origins of the Wemyss name is from the Scottish Gaelic uaimh meaning 'cave'. The Wemyss family seat is Wemyss Castle about 40 minutes drive along the coast from the family owned Kingsbarns Distillery. There is a cave formation on the coast below the castle from which it is thought the name drew inspiration. The family criss-crossed Scottish history through from the time of Robert the Bruce, the Battle of Culloden, all the way to the life of Mary, Queen of Scots and of course into the present day. The connection with whisky, however, dates to James Haig opening Cameronbridge Grain Distillery (the largest...

With our Peat Chimney Highball outperforming many of its competitors at this year's IWSC, we thought we would take a deep dive into this famed drink once dubbed the 'Splificator'... For those unaware, a 'Highball' consists of ice in a tall glass with one part Scotch to three parts Soda. It is quickly regaining recognition as the way to preserve the enjoyment of whisky for a longer time. As an easy thing to make we would certainly recommend you try this classic if you haven't already!  As with most origination attempts, there are various theories as to the invention of the...