Compass Box Spice Tree Extravaganza, 12,240 bottles, 46% abv.

This limited edition blend supposedly consists of 32.6% 20 year Glen Ord in first fill sherry butts, 17.2% 11 year Benrinnes in first fill sherry butts, 2.6% Allt-a-Bhainne in refill bourbon barrel, and supposedly 27.7%, 4.3%, and 15.6% of the original Spice Tree blend (13 year vat of 60% Clynelish, 20% Dailuaine, and 20% Teaninich, which is later re-casked for another 4.5 years in a hybrid cask) matured in light to medium toasted hybrid cask, refill hybrid cask, and heavy toasted hybrid cask, respectively. These hybrid casks are supposedly bourbon barrels with toasted French oak heads. Complicated. This one was released to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the original spice tree, which brought controversy by using additional French oak staves in the barrel. Now most consumers think the Scotch Whisky Association is like Trump.

Nose: honey and sherry, floral and a little fruity, caramelized citrus fruits, tart crust.

Palate: very smooth, good body, initial palate is a little wet old steamed lotus leaves flavors that carries into the mid and back palate which kind of transforms into an espresso coffee. Some bread in there. Back palate is espresso coffee, pickled berries, caramel.

Finish: medium to long, some wood, old blueberries and blackberries, like a caramelized cappucino.

This is amazingly nice, many staged flavors that come out. Even though it carried that wet old steamed lotus leaves aspect throughout the tasting, it was light enough and transformed to coffee! Extremely satisfying and delicious, hits all tasting aspects. On a side note, I think the Chinese name is funny, which I put in hashtags.

Grade: B

Whiskyanalysis.com, 8.82 ± 0.27 on 10 reviews
Thewhiskeywash, Whisky Kirk, 4/5 stars
Thewhiskeyjug, Josh Peters, 87/100
Whisky advocate, Jonny McCormick, 93 points
Whiskynotes, Ruben Luyten, 87/100
LA whisky society, Andy, B
Timeforwhisky, Martin Eber, 92/100

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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