.compass box - spice tree extravaganza

Another Spice Tree from Compass Box. Their first release caused a lot of noise in the industry and their first slap on the wrist by the SWA for not following traditional whisky methods, but using traditional wine maturing methods by adding charred wooden staves inside the maturing whisky casks. Their current signature release consists of a blend of malts matured in ex-Bourbon casks, finished in a "Hybrid Cask" with a combination of American oak casks and (different levels of) charred, European oak cask ends. They have now released an even more complex combination of casks, older whiskies, maturing for longer periods, and a significant amount of ex-Sherry matured whiskies to start with.

Wow, there is a mouthful already, and I haven't even started yet...

46% abv, €130
single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, liquorice, spicy, cinnamon, hints of cloves, allspice, star anise, fruit, mulberries, blackberries, cranberries, ripe warm cherries, cherry coke

Palate: thick, sweet, honey, honeycomb, fruit, ripe cherries, cranberries, spicy, black pepper, allspice, star anise, 

Finish: long, warm, sweet, honeycomb, warm cherry pie, spicy, cloves and a hint of cinnamon
Mark: ++++/+

Conclusion: Wonderful. This definitely tickles my senses on the right spots. I do not know exactly what it is that the whisky makers at Compass Box do, but it seems there aren't many whiskies that do not tickle my pleasant spots and make me smile. Those last sentences combined sounded worse than I meant to have it sound, but I'll leave it there for future ehrm... reference.

More info: "Only" 12.240 bottles have been released worldwide.

Glen Ord - unknown period in a first fill ex-Sherry Butt - 32.6%
Benrinnes - unknown period in a first fill ex-Sherry Butt - 17.2%
Allt-a-Bhainne - unknown period in a refill American Standard Barrel - 2.6%
Highland Blended Malt* - unknown period in a light / medium toast Hybrid Cask - 27.7%
Highland Blended Malt* - unknown period in a refill Hybrid Cask - 4.3%
Highland Blended Malt* - unknown period in a heavy toast Hybrid Cask - 15.6%

*composed of 60% aged Clynelish, 20% aged Dailuaine and 20% aged Teaninich, re-casked and matured for another four and a half years. With any luck, I might be able to update these last facts with ages any time soon.

.many thanks to Compass Box for sending us the sample to review

.compass box - three year old deluxe

My first love was a rabbit with an undisclosed name (my wife thinks it's her, so don't go telling her otherwise). My first whisky love was Ardbeg. Still nothing much to go on with this, except that when I first discovered the standard 14yo bottling of the Clynelish, I was sold. When I heard my favourite whisky blender known for using large amounts of Clynelish was about to release this puppy, my curiosity was triggered.

49.2% abv, €250
blended malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, vanilla, liquorice, a hint of smoke, warm applesauce (applepie maybe?), spices, cinnamon, allspice, green tea, oolong tea, piccalilli (there is a first time for everything!)

Palate: spicy, jalapeño peppers, cinnamon, warm apple sauce, a touch of smoke, creamy, vanilla, sweet, honeysuckle, red berries, citrus, grapefruit

Finish: long, liquorice-root, more smoke, creamy, sweet, vanilla, hints of citrus peel, grapefruit
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: I might be biased, a fan of Clynelish and the people and products of Compass Box, but this is great. A little tongue numbing at first, but she doesn't take long to convert that into a creamy (waxy) mouth feel, with lots of vanillas and juicy, sweet red berries. Not much smoke, but just enough to give it that extra punch it may not even need.

The drop of three year old whisky, the kitsch label and frankly, the whole idea behind this release, is a big "fuck you" to the industry, the SWA and the UK and EU law and their battle for whisky transparency. They are stalling their fight for now, having found a loophole where we, the consumers, can contact Compass Box if we would like to have more information about the content of the bottle we just purchased.

More info: from the fact sheet: 

"Composed of less than 1% three year-old malt whisky produced near the village of Brora, 90% malt whisky of an unstated age from the same distillery and around 9% peaty malt whisky distilled on the Isle of Skye, regulations only permit us only to share details of the age of youngest component! No matter. For it is this three year-old that is most important to us. Aged from new-make spirit in our own first-fill American oak casks, it imparts a lively vivacity and represents a milestone in our development as whisky makers."


From that, combined with a little research and the use of the provided information online, we can build up the following:

Clynelish - 3 years in a first fill American Standard Barrel - 0.4%
Clynelish - rumoured - 24 years in a refill Hogshead - 90.3%
Talisker - rumoured -20 years in a first fill ex-Sherry Butt - 9.3%

We have contacted Compass Box for confirmation, and when this comes through, I will update the note and let you know.

Limited release of only 3,282 bottles worldwide.

.many thanks to Compass Box for sending us the sample

.rock oyster - cask strength

From Douglas Laing's Remarkable Regional Malts series, they have put together a blended malt from distilleries of most of the Scottish Isles where distilleries are at work. including some of the beefiest Islay malts, a briny Orkney, a citrus-malty Jura and a honey-sweet Arran.

57.4% abv, €50
blended malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, honey, cereals, spicy, black pepper, briny, a hint of smoke, citrus, rasped orange peel, liquorice root, milk chocolate flakes

Palate: sweet, honey, treacle, floral, honeycomb, heather, buttercups, citrus, rasped orange peel, a hint of smoke, liquorice root, a touch of mint

Finish: sweet, honey, floral, heather, honeycomb, liquorice root, definite smoke
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: I liked the original well enough, and this is a touch better. Kudos for Douglas Laing for adding an undiluted version to the range.

.many thanks to Douglas Laing for sending us this sample

.scallywag - cask strength

The Scallywag, a little rascal of a Fox Terrier from the Laing family, portrayed on the Speyside blended malt from Douglas Laing - part of their Remarkable Region Malts series. A collection of Speyside Malts, including Mortlach, the Macallan and the Glenrothes, matured in a combination of ex-Sherry butts and ex-Bourbon  hogsheads, firt released in November 2013 at 46% abv. In June 2015 (I know, I am a little behind on my notes because of stuff, and things), the company released the first limited release at cask strength, startling the Fox Terrier and knocking off its monocle...

53.6% abv, €50
blended malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, vanilla pods, spicy, star anise, cinnamon, fruity, apple skins, citrus, orange peel, dried fruit, dried mango slices, dried banana chips, hints of mint, eucalyptus

Palate: sweet, treacle, honey, spicy, cinnamon, a hint of anise, vanilla flavoured pipe tobacco, dark chocolate shavings, citrus, blood oranges

Finish: medium long, dark chocolate, a hint of tobacco, vanilla pods, dried fruit, cranberries, blueberries
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: I wasn't very enthusiastic about the original 46% release, but this one tickles my senses on the right spots.

.many thanks to Douglas Laing for sending us this sample

.timorous beastie - 40yo - douglas laing

Douglas Laing have a great series of blended malts available, The Bold Islay vatting Big Peat, the Maritime Rock Oyster, the rich and fruity Speysider Scallywag, and the poetic Highland vattig Timorous Beastie. From the latter, they have released a 40 years old version, of which the last dram in the bottle was donated to the Mrs by Belgian redhead Viking and Douglas Laing Ambassador Jan Beckers during our Saturday dinner at Maltstock 2016.

54.7% abv, €200
blended malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, honey, honeycomb, cereals, fruit, mango, berries, blackcurrant

Palate: spicy, a hint of cinnamon and allspice, sweet, honeycomb, cereals, floral, rose-hip, berries, raspberries, sweet ripe strawberries, blackcurrant

Finish: medium long, sweet, berries, blackcurrant, floral, rosebuds, rose-hip
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: She is balanced alright. Balanced like an Olympic gymnast on the balance beam. Like a dubbeltje on its side. A pyramid on its tip. She's ridiculous. Other than that, I can say she's good, very quaffable, and for a 40 year old (blended) malt, for today's pricing, very good value for money.

More info: Too bad there are only 1080 bottles available world wide...

.compass box - enlightenment

"...Inspired by the writers, philosophers and scientists of the Age of Enlightenment it sets out to encourage the industry to consider the absurdity of a system that prevents producers from telling consumers exactly what has gone into the whiskies they are drinking..."

46% abv, €80
blended malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, fruity, fermenting fruit, warm sweet soy sauce, apple sauce, citrus, blood oranges

Palate: sweet, creamy, fruity, warm apple sauce, citrus, warm fermenting sweet blood oranges, spicy, white pepper, cinnamon, apple pie, nuts, almonds

Finish: long, sweet, creamy, spicy, cinnamon
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: Damn... Another Compass Box to like. She carries quite a punch for a dram of 46%, which is something I appreciate very much.

More info: Limited Edition release of 5,922 bottles worldwide, bottled in April 2016.

The Genetic makeup of this whisky is as follows:

Clynelish - matured in first fill American standard barrel - 48.2%
Glentauchers - matured in first fill American standard barrel - 13.7%
Balblair - matured in first fill American standard barrel - 10.8%
Mortlach - matured in rejuvenated American standard barrel - 4.3%

Sadly, there is no linger information given about the ages of the whiskies, because: rules.

from the press:

Since launching the Compass Box Whisky Co., I have always been a firm believer in the spirit of enlightenment – that the more information we can share with our customers about the Scotch whisky we produce, the better. Alas, it transpires such beliefs fall foul of current EU and UK regulations, which prevent us from sharing information about the age of every component whisky used in the creation of our blends.

This whisky, Enlightenment, is our response to these regulations. Inspired by the writers, philosophers and scientists of the Age of Enlightenment it sets out to encourage the industry to consider the absurdity of a system that prevents producers from telling consumers exactly what has gone into the whiskies they are drinking. And of course the whisky itself is something rather special. A blend of fruity, fragrant Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, it is bursting with aromas of fresh orchard fruit, flavours of vanilla, soft spice and pear and an alluring apple peel waxiness on the finish. An uplifting, enlightening whisky with which to ponder the world of Scotch not only as it is but also as it could be.

‘There is no desire more natural than the desire for knowledge.’

– Michel de Montaigne

.many thanks to Compass Box for sending us a sample

.compass box - flaming heart - 15th anniversary edition

"Every great achievement is the victory of a Flaming Heart."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The fifth release of this limited edition blended malt, honouring the 15th anniversary of the Compass Box.  

.compass box - peat monster cask strength

Big, smoky, peaty. Larger than life. A monster is what you expect. A monster is what you get.

.wemyss malts - the hyve

Wemyss has released several editions of the Hyve previously, but, with today's prevailing trends, they have released a non-age-statement version of this Speyside signature blended malt.

.yula - batch #1

"Inspired by the ancient Islay legend of a beautiful but tragic Norse goddess, Douglas Laing presents Yula, the first of a three part trilogy of limited edition Island Malt Scotch Whisky. Douglas Laing’s Yula is comprised of several of the Islands’ most sought after, peated malts. To be released consecutively in three limited edition batches, the first of which is bottled at 20 Years Old, Yula charts the spirit’s journey and celebrates the Laing family’s own proud origins on Islay. Just 900 bottles of Yula’s First Chapter are available globally."

.big peat - christmas 2015

Ho ho ho... Big Peat is back with the fifth Christmas edition of his all-Islay blended malt (still including Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and even Port Ellen), and his sleigh is on fire! Smoking hot at that because of the cask strength release...

.monkey shoulder

A blended malt from our friends at W. M. Grant. Their three Dufftown distilleries have joined force in this blended malt, and hid for some time behind door number 10 of the Drinks by the Dram Whisky Advent Calendar 2015.

.wemyss - velvet fig

With only 6,000 bottles to spare worldwide, Wemyss malts have composed a blended malt (of unknown composition), that has fully matured in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. As a golden Wemyss rule, the name of the whisky perfectly reflects the content of the bottle.

.hunter laing - highland journey 0001

The wonderful people at Hunter Laing surprised WhiskySpeller with a sample of their first blended malt: Highland Journey, a blended malt comprised of three Highland whiskies (allegedly Blair Athol, Clynelish and Teaninich), inspired by Stewart Laing's (Hunter Laing's founder) first visits to the Highlands as a child with his father.
This small batch bottling contains whiskies that have matured in ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks.

.compass box - flaming heart - 4th edition

Every few years, Compass box are able to blend the perfect blended malt from a combination of appropriate aged whiskies, resulting in the Flaming Heart. A blended malt whisky, that keeps the character of the ingredient malts available for you to discover.

.compass box - eleuthera

Compass Box's first vatted malt, Eleuthera, was a combination of a 15yo malt from the village of Brora (Clynelish), matured in re-charred hogsheads, together with a 12yo malt from Islay's village of Port Askaig (Caol Ila). With the Clynelish no longer available in re-charred hogsheads, Compass Box decided to retire the recipe rather than re-vamp it with inferior cask types.

.wemyss malts - the hyve - 12yo

40% abv, €40, single malt, non-chill filtered

Nose: sweet (sickly), eating cotton candy at the cotton candy stand, banana foam candies, pear drops, a freshly filled candy store, honey, clover honey, honeycomb, bees-wax, citrus, tangerine-peel
Palate: citrus, orange-peel, marmalade, tangerines, sweet, honey, honey-comb, candle-wax, cotton-candy
Finish: bitter as marmalade, semi-dry, medium long
Mark: +/++++

.wemyss malts - smooth gentleman - 5yo

40% abv, €65, blended malt, non-chill filtered

Nose: citrus peel, sweet, cotton candy, nougat, mint
Palate: citrus, sweet, caramel, spicy, white pepper
Finish: orange peel, zest, medium dry, medium long, slight iron
Mark: +++++

.big peat - batch #59

46% abv, €40, single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet and at the same time briny. Obviously some peat smoke but also coffee, walnuts and some cinnamon
Palate: sweet liquorice, spicy cinnamon, warming
Finish: sweet liquorice root, the mandatory smoke, ash and reasonably long
Mark: +++++

.compass box - the spice tree

46% abv, €40, blended malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet (!), vanilla, floral, spices, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, green herbs, laurel, sage, fruity, apples, pears, tropical fruits, mangos, strawberries, camomile tea
Palate: sweet, candied ginger, spicy, red peppers, fruity, apples, pears, semi-dry, floral, heather, violets
Finish: long, sweet, vanilla, spicy, peppery, floral, heather, roses
Mark: +++++