Three of my favourite Compass Box bottlings
Hey Everyone! I am back after my little break. Me and my girlfriend visited Italy for a short vacation and then I got a cold or something and was out a few days. Didn't feel like writing at all those days. I will attach a few pictures of the beautiful places we have been to at the end of the article if you are interested!
Today we will be taking a look at three Compass Box bottlings that I enjoyed a lot and should be on your radar to try. Let's dive right into it.
The story of Compass Box
Back in 2000, John Glaser was working for a large UK distiller when he realised that there was so much that hadn't yet been explored in the world of Scotch whisky. An American living in London, he decided to do something refreshingly different and bring the joys of Scotch whisky to more people in exciting new ways.
So, he started Compass Box, an inventive company based on the long-lost model of the Scotch whisky blending house, but with a forward-looking approach and an unrelenting desire to create deliciousness.
Originally working from his kitchen, Compass Box has grown over the years and now has two dedicated Blending Rooms in London. They have their own stocks of maturing whiskies in Scotland and a team of over 15 hugely enthusiastic whisky-lovers. They believe Scotch whisky is one of the world's great drinks. With more spectrum of flavour and style than any other spirit, it has incredible capacity to delight both newcomers and discerning devotees. Which is what they aim to do with every bottle they create.
Their whisky beliefs
BLENDING IS A PLATFORM FOR CREATIVITY: A well-made Scotch whisky blend, made from excellent component whiskies, is something no single distillery can create, and can rival the complexity of the very best of single malt whiskies.
GOOD OAK RULES: Up to 70% of the flavour in mature Scotch whisky comes from the interaction of the spirit with the cask it is aged in. You can only create a great whisky when you use great wood.
GOOD WHISKIES DON'T NEED AGE STATEMENTS: They believe whisky quality is determined by flavour and character, not by an age statement. There is no short-hand for quality in Scotch. Age statements can be a red herring.
WHISKY SHOULD BE BOTTLED WITHOUT CHILL-FILTERING AND AT ITS NATURAL COLOUR: Unlike most Scotch whisky producers, they see no reason to artificially colour our whiskies, or to strip away mouthfeel by chill-filtration. These are cosmetic steps they never take.
The whiskies Compass Box creates
At Compass Box, they make all three types of blends.
They believe that by bringing together single malt and single grain whiskies of the highest quality it is possible to create textures, flavours and pleasures that no solitary whisky can attain.
Their core range consists of seven bottles.
Artist Blend: "We have suffused Artist Blend with fruitiness and texture, seeking out fragrant malt whiskies (approximately 55% of the recipe) from the Highlands of Scotland. By combining these with Lowland grain whiskies matured in first fill ex-Bourbon barrels, Artist Blend boasts a creaminess and lushness that makes it one of the most invigorating and pleasurable styles of Scotch whisky. Whether sipped neat, used as the base for a cocktail, or paired with other tasty morsels, take your inspiration from the artist on the front of the label and allow your creative impulses free rein."
Glasgow Blend: "Like Artist Blend, Glasgow Blend boasts a high single malt content. Inclusion of malt whisky matured in Oloroso Sherry-seasoned butts, and an Islay single malt of a powerfully peaty nature, has made this a blended Scotch whisky like no other. Full, rich and smoky on the palate, with notes of sticky toffee pudding, Sherry wine character and impressions of a coal fire, Glasgow Blend shines in combination with rich cheeses and cured meats."
Hedonism: "At their best, aged in good quality American oak casks, brimming with vanilla and echoing rich pastry cream on the finish, grain whiskies are amongst the most delicious whiskies in the world. They are the perfect whiskies to name...Hedonism. Hedonism will always be lush, soft and creamy but each year we use different whiskies, in different combinations, to achieve this."
Orchard House: "What is more universally delicious than ripe fruit? Even the greatest chefs have been known to serve a simple dish of strawberries or a single, perfect peach as a dessert. Orchard House gathers together some of the fruitiest malts Scotland has to offer, including whiskies from the Linkwood and Clynelish distilleries; what's more, we have sourced many of these whiskies as new spirit and laid them down in our own oak casks. This, our monument to fresh fruitiness in Scotch whisky, has been many years in the making."
The Story of the Spaniard: "Released in batches, with the batch number shown on the back label, THE STORY OF THE SPANIARD is our tribute to Sherry's broad spectrum of styles. You will find a whisky that is full, soft and sumptuous on the palate with flavours of citrus peel and pears poached in red wine and spices. It's a whisky ideal for late evening sipping or stirring into a cocktail."
The Spice Tree: "Unfortunately, due to its avant garde method of oak-aging, we were compelled by the powers that be to discontinue production. Undeterred, we worked with our cooper friends in both France and Scotland to develop a new, hybrid oak cask that would allow us to achieve similar results, but in a way that would be acceptable to even the most conservative of observers. Et voila, THE SPICE TREE was resurrected – matured using a custom-made cask with French oak for the heads and American oak for the bodies. THE SPICE TREE is a rich, intense malt whisky redolent of baking spices and layered with toasty oak accents that complement the underlying distillery character."
The Peat Monster: "Still very much the whisky for those who love big, rich, smoky-peaty malts, our latest version of THE PEAT MONSTER is older and more elegant than before. Inspired by feedback from smoky whisky lovers, our new Painting Label of THE PEAT MONSTER incorporates single malts with a more aromatic and graceful style of smokiness. We have sought to retain the peaty intensity for which THE PEAT MONSTER has long been celebrated, whilst creating a depth and elegance not seen before."
Compass Box Orchard House Blended Malt Scotch Whisky - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered, 46%
"Fruit-Forward & Spirit-Driven
All-malt, and quite the all-rounder, Orchard House
features some of Scotland's fruitiest whiskies. A lively
and fragrant sipper with a light oak influence,
perfect for the home bar."
Nose: Very fresh, pears, apples (green mostly but some red too), peaches, vanilla, some cinnamon and spices in the background with some very distant oak. Surprisingly I can find the peat from Caol Ila, it's pretty present.
Taste: It is light and refreshing, with a pleasant finish and a slightly drier profile. Demonstrates a good balance between flavors. Sweet, citrusy malt and a slight acidity. Its medium body with oak spice, white pepper, slightly dry, and the peat is very light and pleasant.
Finish: Lingering, sweet, drying effect, light herbs, cilantro, light peaty complexity, light smoke. The finish is a bit simple, but it lasts a decent amount of time.
Overall I think this is an amazing dram. If I am not mistaken I "destroyed" two bottles. I enjoey it that much. I think this is a bottle you should add to your collection or to your "to taste" list. You will enjoy it, believe me. 88 / 100
Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard Blended Malt Scotch Whisky - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered, 43%
"A sumptuous malt whisky blend, showcasing whiskies aged in Spanish wine casks. The name is a nod to our founder's chance encounter with a man in the South of Spain, where he was introduced to Sherry for the first time. Years later, John was reacquainted with Sherry through whiskies aged in former Sherry casks, known for the rich, deep flavours they provide. It's a style of whisky John has been drawn to ever since."
Nose: Vanilla followed by fudge and caramelized apples. Lemon with some pineapple and pears. Some waxiness of the Clynelish too. Hazelnuts aswell. At the end little notes of cinnamon and ginger.
Taste: A bit similar to the nose. Vanilla with fudge and honey. Some apple pie with cinnamon. Cloves and nutmeg follow next. Some wax again. A little raisin with hazelnuts. Sherry, grapes, spices, peaches, dark chocolate and maybe some espresso.
Finish: Long and mouth warming. Mild black pepper, candied ginger, dark honey butter, hint of bittersweet, dry oak and red wine tannins.
Overall this is a very nice showcase of the Spanish red wine casks. I think they leave a great influence on the whiskies. I enjoyed my bottle a lot. Get one, try it and let me know. 87 / 100
Compass Box Vellichor Blended Scotch Whisky - Natural Color, Non-chill filtered, 44.6%
"Vellichor, n - the scent of second-hand bookshops
On discovering this marvellous new word, we began a quest to recreate the fragrance using Scotch whisky. Parcels were considered, identified and pursued. The process can be compared to scouring second-hand bookshops for specific volumes.
Our search met with success when a distiller and bottler in the north of Scotland offered us casks of whiskies which had been blended together in the past, before being returned to ex-Sherry butts for further maturation. Whiskies, like old books, contain their own stories.
Bottled at 44.6% ABV
Not chill-filtered
Natural colour
Lead Whiskymaker: James Saxon
We combined these Sherry-matured stocks with bold and mature malt whiskies from the Macallan, Highland Park and Caol Ila distilleries. The aroma is highly evocative for anyone with a fondness for books; the taste evolves and intensifies as any good political thriller or historical romance should.
A tribute to the storytelling potential of blended Scotch whisky, and the atmospheres of our favourite book stores."
Long time have I waited for this moment. I love CB and what they are doing so it was time to try one of their "highest profile" whisky. I also love Macallan so this should be a fun dram for me.
12.1% Macallan // First Fill Bourbon Barrel 23 YO
38.9% Highland Park // Recharred Hogshead 25 YO
4.1% Caol Ila // Refill Hogshead 37 YO
29.3% Blended Malt // Refill Sherry Butt 26 YO
15.6% Blended Scotch // Refill Hogshead 25 YO
[Note that my dram was resting in the glass for ~40 minutes.]
Nose: Fresh green apples followed by hints of vanilla and some wax. Leathery notes. Old books like when you are entering your grandpa's library which is filled with those old dusty books from the 1950s. Some raisins and plums can also be picked up. Light peat smoke surrounds the "room". Quite complex and interesting.
Taste: Quite soft arrival. Very creamy and round. I can pick up Macallan here. Waxy. A bit sour at first. Leather notes and again those old books and dust. Then vanilla sweetness rises with hints of caramel and nuts. Some peaches and plums shining through. Peat smoke, very earthy. Coal. It's extremely interesting with it being sweet & sour at the same time and everything is surrounded in a light peat smoke. The mouthfeel is incredibly nice. So much better than the nose.
Finish: Long. It creeps around in your mouth for minutes after swallowing. Mellow spiciness, nice tingling feeling on the tongue. Some oakiness finally appearing showing off the age of this blend. Leaves with traces of vanilla and smoke. Great. No need to drink after this for a while.
So even tho this blend contains 15.6% grain it doesn't show. The age worked wonders and made this bottle very soft and gentle. I was able to pick up notes of Macallan and Highland Park but Caol Ila hid very well and was not able to pick anything up from it, at least the usual notes. Overall I am very pleased with this but I do not think I would purchase a bottle. But if I can buy another 5cl-10cl I will. It's great to sip on it truly because it's unique and very good. 93 / 100
A few pictures from Italy as I promised
