Compass Box The Circus Blended Scotch Whisky
49% ABV
$250
Website
What the Blender Says:
I have a longstanding belief that there is a magic to certain combinations of Scotch whisky. Such blends – like the very best of circuses – have the capacity to take us outside of ourselves for just a moment, to elevate the senses beyond the everyday and – following the sentiment of Charlie Chaplin’s immortal clown – to raise our eyes upwards to consider horizons new.
Such is the case with this whisky, for which we were lucky enough to uncover that rarest of finds – old parcels of Blended Scotch and Blended Grain whisky that had been aged pre-blended in cask for many years. In such parcels, what you get are whisky blends so seamless, so complex that they function for us as single components.
We know little of the component distillery whiskies used in these blends for The Circus, only that they contain both single malt and single grain whiskies and that the ‘marrying casks’ are sherry butts. However, the provenance of the components isn’t important to us now, as what we have are old casks containing whiskies that are extraordinary.
Availability: Limited Edition release of 2,490 bottles worldwide. Bottled March 2016.
Flavour Descriptors: A lithe frame and opulent mouthfeel showcasing the supple softness of mature grain and the complexity of aged Blended Scotch Whisky. Brimming with dried fruit character, a luscious maltiness and
nuances of almond and hazelnut.
Recommendations: Like all the best circuses, this whisky is transient, ephemeral – in town for one night only. We recommend it for celebrations, moments of optimism, one-of-akind events – those fleeting moments all the more precious in the knowledge that they can never be repeated.
Bottling Details: Bottled at 49%, Not chill-filtered, Natural colour
What Richard Says:
Nose: Slightly musty with a nutty, malty, dark fruit nose.
Palate: Sweet stone fruit flavors backed by a nutty backbone. The sherry is definitely there but it doesn’t over power. Instead it wraps up all the components in a delicious embrace.
Finish: It finishes a little dry and woody and you would expect that for scotch of this age.
Comments: Damn delicious for sure. The Circus stands above just about any other blended scotch out there that you can get for $250. If you are fortunate enough to come across one of the less than 2,500 bottles available throughout the world then you should jump on it. It’s not on the level of The General from a couple years ago but it is still exceptionally impressive. Where John Glaser gets his hands on whiskies like this I have no idea. But thankfully he can and he shares those whiskies, and his art, with the world.
Rating: Must Buy