li

Two things happened this week that were simply exhilarating. One, I recently had the honor of blending my own dram of whisky with some base whiskies that Compass Box uses in their offerings. 

Only second to that, was also the opportunity to try out some of Compass Box's excellent offerings. Needless to say, the tasting alone absolutely erased all preconceived biases I've had toward blended Scotch.

However, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. I concede that there are some among you that may be scratching your heads in bemusement. "What compass, and why is it in a box?" you might be wondering, "Wasn't I reading a whisky review just a second ago?" You see, Compass Box is an independent bottler (IB) with an anti-establishment streak (and several run-ins with the Scotch Whisky Association that you can read about here in our deep-dive piece). Yet, the company is one of the few to successfully premiumise their blended whisky and elevate their brand out of the mass market category.

Compass Box was founded in 2000 as an IB company focused on blending Scotch whisky by one legendary Jon Glaser.

John was convinced that blends, if constructed well, could be placed on the same pedestal as good single malts. The general sentiment at the time was that the whisky world saw blended whiskies as inferior to single malts, worthy only of cheap party mixers or drunk simply to get buzzed.

Unlike many of his peers, John's experience from the wine industry guided his philosophy on whiskymaking. Unlike IBs that simply release bottles from specific distilleries (i.e. single malts), Compass Box styles itself as a “blending house” and actively crafts its own style of blended whiskies.

They actually have a distillery, just a state-of-the-art lab where its whiskymakers formulate the best blends to be put together before they are aged. Similar to French wine blending houses (known as négociants), Compass Box procures individual casks from different distilleries, usually with complementary flavours, and creatively blend them in small batches. These whiskies are married and matured in Compass Box’s custom-made casks that have bespoke toast levels and innovative features unusual to the Scotch whisky scene.

Despite its atypical nature, Compass Box has taken many whisky connoisseurs by storm, with several proclaiming their love for this black horse of the Scotch industry. In 2005, the company's Spice Tree expression sold out almost immediately, while the second batch sold out at the pre-order stage.

In March 2024, John Glaser finally handed over the reins to Chief Whiskymaker Jim Saxon. He said that while he would continue to champion and support Compass Box, he wanted to "embark on fresh endeavours" in his career.

So let's get stuck in, and see what the hype around Compass Box is all about!

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Amber

Nose: Very very fruit-forward on the first inhale. With just a whiff, I could already expect the sweetness of what was to come. The sweet orchard fruit note gives way to dark fruit, which proceeds steadily to a gentle floral presence. All this is concluded with just a prick of citrus that lands at the top of your nose. After some time, I also picked up some brown sugar and traces of oak, sprinkled with a stronger presence of vanilla and pepper. 

Palate: As expected, it sure it a wallop of sweet orchard fruits. What's even more pleasant is that the fruit notes aren't one-dimensional either. You get crisp red apples with a dash of overripe pear, which soon become dark fruit reminiscent of sultanas and raisins. The appley notes also have dashes of white fruit, like peaches within. After the initial fruit note, I got a stronger presence of oak and vanilla, along with custard, cinnamon and just a little malt. The mouthfeel is nice and waxy to the point of borderline chalkiness.

Finish: A medium finish, it does wrap up quite nicely. The vanilla comes in stronger here with just a burst of brown sugar. The sweetness lingers for quite abit, almost unwilling to leave until it's overtaken but a final burst of malt and trace amounts of smoke. There's also a pleasant aftertaste of oaky tannins.

My Thoughts

Spring and summer melded into one, it has a wonderfully refreshing nose and palate. It tastes nuanced without being overly complex. Relatively simple to understand, it still allows all the parts to have their time on stage. I am pleasantly surprised by the way it evolves from orchard fruit to the richer nature of dark red fruits, as that is something I don't typically expect.

The earthier notes of oak, smoke and malt are also welcomed to add more dimensions with each sip. It has a good amount of versatility too, perfect for both mixing as well as sipping neat. I would just have loved if the body is a bit heavier and the pleasant finish could last a little longer, though this delivers well for the 46% ABV.

Compass Box The Story Of The Spaniard, 43% ABV - Review

Matured in a combination of American, European and French oak casks, this blend is known to contain Teaninich, Glen Elgin, Deanston, Clynelish, Glendullan, Dailuaine and Cameronbridge.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Amber

Nose: Something like a spiritual successor to the Orchard Housee. I get sweet fruit on the first nose, but this time it's leaning strongly toward sherry-sweet dark fruits. There certainly is a more present baking spice note like cinnamon. After the dark red fruit recedes, there's a certain mustiness that reminds me of malt barley that's been submerged in a thin layer of almond extract. There's just a skosh of oak in there too, with a slight bit more spiciness than the Orchard House.

Palate: A veritable sherry punch that quickly recedes into baking spice to the tune of cinnamon, pepper and just a little bit of brown sugar. The dark red fruit has streaks of citrus running through it, but I don't quite get much development here unlike the Orchard House. All this is edged by vanilla and oak. The oak presence is significantly more present in this expression, as is the tannic dryness that I found in the Orchard House. I am also reminded of almond skins. If nothing else, there's a bit more bitterness from European oak influence as compared to the Orchard House, although the oiliness is very much appreciated.

Finish: Shorter than I expected with flashes of stewed red fruit and Sherried notes, its place is left caramel, faint oak, notes of bitter espresso and a faint maltiness in the retro-nasal aftertaste. It's also substantially more warm than the Artist Blend and Orchard House.

My Thoughts

If you like dominant sherry notes coupled with baking spice, this is the whisky for you. I personally prefer if the sherried notes are are dialled down a smidge to reveal more complexity in the inherent spirit. 

The nose was complex and beautiful, though the palate and finish are relatively more straightforward.That being said, I did quite appreciate the dry oaky bitter notes toward the finish. It made the dram quite moreish. 

I must say I'm split on this one! It's not terribly complex, but it's a solid sherry-dominant whisky with a distinct touch of Highland flair. 

Compass Box Artist Blend, 43% - Review

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light gold

Nose: This immediately presents as a very young whisky. First off, I get a light presence of sweet orchard fruit that was not unlike the Orchard House, but only with a hint of dark fruit like raisins. Surprisingly, I get a stronger presence of malt not unlike pastry puffs, which become a mint-like grassiness. This is edged with some vanilla and a sprinkle of coconut extract. There is just some smoke, although this is negligible. The esters are a bit more picky than expected too!

Palate: A straightforward, refreshing expression. I get most of what I found on the nose, with apples and pears at the fore. There's the malt and grass, interjected only by a surprising amount of custard. I'm also reminded by creamy milk chocolate with flecks of muted spice. The mouthfeel is relatively creamy, although the whisky itself has only a middling amount of oiliness. 

Finish: Medium in length. The orchard fruits continue and gradually diminish, ridden out by a faint vanilla and smoke. The grass also comes back toward the end, before being gradually overtaken by oaky tannins. The heat is perhaps most obvious at the end of the finish, with an unusual touch of a sour-ish saltiness that reminds me of Chinese salted plums - intriguing.

My Thoughts

Here's a really mellow flavoured dram. It's by no means a sherry or bourbon bomb with most of the flavors on the subtler side of things. Its youth is also pretty evident in the amount of heat on the palate.

This is one that would appeal to those who prefer mellower flavours in a fairly robust base spirit. A fairly versatile whisky that makes for a clean-tasting highball or Scotch whisky sour. 

Compass Box The Peat Monster, 46% ABV - Review

The peaty brainchild of Compass Box, this particular expression is known to have Caol Ila and Laphroaig being the majority of the blend. These are aged in refill hogshead barrels, while other components are also aged in ex-bourbon. sherry, and French oak casks.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light gold

Nose: Immediately lives up to its name with a strong punch of classic peat smoke. There's also a presence of sweet dark fruit and citrus.  As a long time Laphroaig fan, the Laphroaig notes are inescapable; rubber, seaweed and iodine with waves of medicinal flavor. I also get vanilla and some oak that is interceded by notes of pepper. Something that stood out to me was also a barbeque sauce note.

Palate: Lovely lovely lovely. The sweet fruit note develops into dark fruit with raisins and stewed plums that is rounded of by what i would consider tart citrus. There is also vanilla and some baking spice. Oddly enough, the smoke and peat only comes in midway through. It comes on fairly strong too, with that lovely iodine, salt and musky earthiness. The barbeque sauce note on the nose becomes a full fledged barbeque presence that echoes all around and ends on a light charred oak. While I appreciated the whisky's oily texture, the overall weight was a little lighter than expected.

Finish: The flavors from the palate bash through with a medium finish. Really peaty, the peat overwhelms everything else with the finish, and I perhaps get a touch of sweet caramel and citrus in the background. The barbeque sauce and peat notes flow around each other before receding into an aftertaste that is something of wet hay and smoke.

My Thoughts

I loved this expression the most, although I might be a little biased due to my love for peated Scotch. This definitely tastes like a blended Islay scotch, but also allows for some of its base whiskies (like Laphroaig) to shine through. There is also a good amount of other notes such as dark fruit and baking spice, which is a welcome addition to the party. The whisky is rich but also layered without being too convoluted, which is a risk I've come to realise when peated Scotch comes into play.

It also has the longest finish among all the expressions we covered today, Because of its very prevalent barbeque sauce note, I would highly recommend it to those that like the flavor among the peat, or even those less-well-versed in scotch who want to have an experience with barbeque notes. 

It's also not exactly a peat bomb, which might make it more approachable to those that want to try their hand at peated whiskies. I also appreciate a nice oily heft to my Scotch, and this expression delivers in that regard.

The Conclusion

One thing is clear: Compass Box has demonstrated a mastery of blending in unprecedented ways with its quartet of distinctive whiskies.

Each expression provides a plethora of flavors that is both nuanced enough to keep one entertained with every sip, but not too complex to the point of confusion.  From the smoky intensity of The Peat Monster to the sherry-soaked richness of The Spaniard, there's a balance of flavor not only across the board but also in each bottle.

One thing that I've also noticed is the high versatility of each expression, able to hold its own neat, and even as a mixer. A very approachable whisky for a less-experienced drinker, and a familiar, friendly challenge to more experienced enthusiasts. 

Lok Bing Hong A budding journalist that loves experiencing new things and telling people's stories. I have 30 seconds of coherence a day. I do not decide when they come. They are not consecutive.