Compass Box giveth, and Compass Box taketh!

Just as the popular independent Scotch blenders prepares to release a new expression that teases us with its name - Secrets of Smoke - they've also put out word that one of their most beloved releases, Spice Tree, will be no more!

But let's look forward now...

Compass Box's new Secrets of Smoke tells us the following,

"In the world of peated Scotch malt whisky, intensity of smokiness tends to dominate the discussion. What is often overlooked is the inherent sweetness of peated malts, hidden behind the bonfires.

Over the years, we have experimented with further maturing peated whiskies in sherry and wine casks.

For Secrets of Smoke, we allow those wine casks to crack the smoky outer shell and release the unexpected sweetness at the core of peated whiskies. Palo Cortado sherry-seasoned butts enhancing the toffee apple qualities of malt whisky from the Caol Ila Distillery. Refill red wine barrels tempt  bright cherry notes from the depths of The Peat Monster, our own assemblage of Islay malts. And those Marsala barriques bring blueberry flapjack flavours to the surface of malt whisky from the Laphroaig Distillery. Taste beyond the smoke screen. Discover the secret world of sweetness within smoke."

With Compass Box, there's always a lot of transparency in terms of the components used to great precision. Here we have:

• The Peat Monster, Second-Fill Spanish Red Wine Barrel

• Caol Ila Distillery, First-Fill Palo Cortado Sherry-Seasoned Butt

• Ardmore Distillery, First-Fill Sherry Hogshead

• Laphroaig Distillery, First-Fill Marsala Barrique

• Blended Malt Parcel, Primarily Recharred Hogsheads

• Bowmore Distillery, Refill Bourbon Barrel

The new Compass Box Secrets of Smoke has been bottled July 2024, at 52% ABV!

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team