Compass Box The Lost Blend
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
46% ABV
$115 to $125
Website
What the Blender Says:
In 2001, we created our first single malt blend which we called Eleuthera. It was an elegant and simple blend of approximately 80% unpeated Highland and 20% peaty Islay single malts. Alas, after 3 years, we were suddenly no longer able to obtain one of the key whiskies required for the recipe so, sadly, we retired Eleuthera in 2004. Quietly, I have always been looking for whiskies that we could use to bring it back, even if temporarily, but not with any luck. Until now.
“Yes, sir, the stuff was distilled elixir of battle, money and high life.”
From The Lost Blend by O. Henry, 1907
I’ve had a name that I’ve been waiting to use for a whisky project like this—The Lost Blend, inspired by the O. Henry story of the same name. This sharp and witty portrait of life in a New York bar in the early 1900s was published in 1907 and centres around two business partners who try to recreate a blend of different spirits with close to supernatural properties.
Having been blending Scotch whiskies as an amateur and a professional for the better part of 20 years, I can say with confidence that I believe there exist “magic” combinations of whiskies. For me, they are like the whisky blending equivalent of spiritual truths. And what better name to lend to our lost blend, but “The Lost Blend”!
John Glaser, Whiskymaker
Availability: A limited edition of 12018 bottles. Bottled in August 2014.
Flavour Descriptors: An elegantly complex union of two fruity Highland single malts and a peaty Islay single malt. An ethereal fruit and herbal character and a sweetness on the palate is buttressed by an underlying smokiness.
Distillery Sourcing: Single malt whisky (of a certain age) from the Clynelish distillery, and a small cache of extraordinary whisky from the Allt-A-Bhainne distillery, aged in American oak barrels and just a few years shy of two decades old, combined with malt whisky from the Caol Ila distillery.
The Labels: We’ve created three different front label designs all around the same theme: lost items. The whisky behind each label is the same ,and the three labels have been randomly bottled and put into cases, which allows you an additional discovery to the whisky itself: which label did I get?
What Richard Says:
Nose: It is an interesting interplay of sweetness with a smokey peat nose. As it airs out a bit it becomes more herbal.
Palate: Much less peaty on the palate than the nose. It’s more like brined honey chews with more lovely herbal notes.
Finish: Salty and smokey before settling to slow, long honey and herb mix.
Comments: Delicious! I was sad to see Eleuthera go years ago and while this isn’t exactly the same thing it is a terrific whiskey in its own right. There are so many layers and so much nuance to this whiskey that you could contemplate it for days. My notes purposely appear to gloss over specifics because it changes every time I go back. Sometimes the sweetness is honey, then candied pineapple, then peach cobbler. This is a really fun dram to play with and explore.
Rating: Must Try
What Gary Says
Nose: Soft peat smoke, earthy mineral notes, herbal with fennel and lemongrass, vanilla, honey, subtle fruit notes of kiwi and peaches.
Palate: Peaches and pears with earthy peat, cracked pepper, honey and a bit of chocolate.
Finish: Long and drying with pepper, peat and grilled peaches.
Comments: Reviewed this in a side-by-side with Eleuthera, and by comparison this is more rich and fruity with the intensity turned up a notch. Really delicious dram with a nice balance between the smoke, peat and fruit notes.