2021

Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

48.9% ABV
$130
Website
Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018

What the Blender Says

This is our sixth edition of Flaming Heart, a whisky born of oak, smoke and fire.

First released in 2006, Flaming Heart was the first whisky to combine the rich, complex spice of Scotch aged in new French oak with the evocative peat-red smoke of Islay malt.

It created a genre-defying style that was smouldering, spicy, complex – and so popular that we’ve re-released it five more times in the years that followed.

In this 2018 edition, we have reintroduced a subtle sherry-cask influence that adds an additional layer of complexity and richness. A medium smoky-peaty base is enriched by a sweet maltiness and notes of baking spices and dried fruit.

It’s a whisky to enjoy late into the night, perfect served neat or paired with rich cheeses.

FLAVOUR PROFILE: A medium smoky-peaty base is enriched by a sweet maltiness and notes of baking spices and dried fruit. Full on the palate and very long on the finish.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS: This is a whisky to enjoy late into the night. Drink it neat or with water, or try pairing it with rich cheeses.
TECHNICAL DETAILS: Bottled at 48.9%. Natural colour. Not chill filtered. A limited edition of 15,050 standard bottles and 800 magnums. June 2018.
LEAD WHISKYMAKER: Jill Boyd, 2018.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Smoke and peat with sherried fruit nuts under a fog of sea air, smoked meats and a touch of iodine.
Palate:  Thick and creamy mouthfeel with peat smoke, stewed fruits – berries, plums, peaches – exotic spice notes with honey and a hint of anise along with a touch of sea salt.
Finish:  Long and smokey with an ashy earthiness and hints of fruit.
Comments:  Flaming Heart is one of my favorite offerings from Compass Box, and probably the brand I’ve bought more bottles of than anything else in terms of Scotch whisky. When I first discovered it in 2015 (although ironically finding a 2012 release!), I bought it based solely on a review I read (this one!) and my experienced lined up with Richard’s.  I probably picked up a half-dozen bottles of the 2015 release over the course of 2 years (never bought more than 1 at a time!), so I did compared my sample of this 2018 edition (thanks Rich!) to that.  Very similar for sure – this has maybe a touch more ash/smoke, and the 2015 has maybe a touch more fruit.  When I did a blind side-by-side, I wasn’t sure I could tell any difference.  If you like smokey, peaty whisky that has a nice balance of fruit and spice – I can’t see how this would disappoint.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Barrell Seagrass

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Barrell Seagrass
Rye Whiskey Finished in Martinique Rum, Madeira & Apricot Brandy Barrels

59.2% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Seagrass
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Barrell Seagrass is an ode to coastal memories, blended to evoke the joy of a day on the beach and an evening listening to the soothing rhythm of waves. Hot sun, brisk air, dry sand, and oceanside vegetation are brought to mind. A ripe and inviting tropical nose and grassy, bright body evolve to a finish as long as the view down the shore on a clear day.

Seagrass highlights the grassy oceanside notes we love in rye and the opulence and spice of finishing barrels. It is a blend of American and Canadian rye whiskeys, with each ingredient meticulously sourced and finished separately in Martinique Rhum Agricole casks, apricot brandy casks, and Madeira barrels.

Each component whiskey brings its own attributes to Seagrass, revealing unique layers of flavor from start to finish. In classic Barrell Craft Spirits fashion, Seagrass is a true original, with its own unique personality in the BCS Portfolio and the whiskey landscape at large.

FLAVOR NOTES

A basket brimming with tropical and orchard fruits lies at the heart of this juicy whiskey, with prominent tones of ripe apricot from the brandy casks. The tropical notes are kept in check by a broad array of spicy and herbaceous rye aromas and complemented by the delicate florals of grassy, Martinique rhum. With a splash of water, the oxidized Madeira notes emerge, candying the fruit and bringing out an earthiness on the palate.

​Neat
Appearance: A pale tawny with straw highlights.
Nose: High concentrations of bright, fruity esters lend a perfume-like character to the aroma. Honeydew melon and plum sit alongside a slice of ripe apricot resting out in the sun. The underlying rye is revealed by a sea-like salinity, tarragon, and elderflower.
Palate: Sweet and juicy, Seagrass opens on pear, lychee, and white grapefruit. Classic rye flavors of cinnamon, rosemary, fennel seed, and rosehip aren’t far behind. Unctuous texture and sandy tannin are complemented by a delicate astringency so common to Canadian whiskeys.
Finish: Fresh and clean, but the persistent tannin and astringency focus the powerful burst of camphor, chalk dust, and scorched earth.

With a few drops of spring water

Despite bright notes of passionfruit and geranium, the nose settles down considerably. The fresh notes are now candied — papaya, orange peel, and ginger. Liege waffle and beef tallow lay a rich foundation. The palate grows creamier, displaying french vanilla ice cream, pawpaw, and orris root.

What Gary Says

Nose: Bright and fruity, with poached pears, melon, a soft citrus note, gentle rye spice, honeysuckle and fennel, with a hint of cedar.
Palate: Sweet with tropical fruit notes of kiwi and grapefruit, vanilla, cinnamon, savory spice notes with pepper.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with herbal earthy notes.
Comments: Really interesting rye, with tropical notes along with that cedar note I get in a lot of Canadian rye. Non-age stated, but I asked and they shared that the barrels used range in age from 5 to 12 yrs old, and the various finish durations ranged from 3 weeks to about 6 months. I’m a fan of finished whisk(e)y, and appreciate the uniqueness going on in this dram, which floats between sweet and savory nicely. If you don’t like finished rye, this might not be up your alley – although I would still try it if you have a chance.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Compass Box Hedonism The Muse

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Hedonism The Muse
Blended Grain Scotch Whisky

53.3% ABV
$270-$300
Website
Compass Box Hedonism The Muse

What the Blender Says

Our first-ever bottling, Hedonism explored a brave new world of flavour previously uncharted in the world of Scotch.

When we recently discovered a cask of exceptional aged grain whisky of unknown origin in the spectrum of flavours of a HEDONISM whisky, we were inspired once again to go back to where it all started. This time, the label design reimagines the woman portrayed at the centre of all our HEDONISM labels – the first woman, as far as we know, ever to feature on a Scotch whisky label.

Women now make up the majority of our team here at COMPASS BOX, which is unusual in our industry. This diversity of perspective makes us, I believe, a better business.

HEDONISM, THE MUSE combines this single cask with other rare and remarkable grain whiskies of varying ages from four distilleries to create something we believe is utterly compelling; a whisky that has all the flavour hallmarks of our classic HEDONISM, with even greater depth and intensity.

We invite you to join us in this, our toast to women in whisky.

FLAVOUR DESCRIPTORS: Aromas and flavours reminiscent of vanilla, marzipan and honey. Full on the palate, round and with a very sweet impression. Very long finish that echoes the vanilla and marzipan.
LEAD BLENDER: Jill Boyd
AVAILABILITY: Limited Edition release of 3,060 bottles worldwide. Bottled February 2018.
BOTTLING DETAILS: Bottled at 53.3%. Not chill-filtered. Natural colour.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Drink this whisky whenever and however you like, as any true Hedonist would. When we’re feeling indulgent, we are partial to pairing THE MUSE with salted caramel.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Honey, vanilla, subtle floral, hints of apple and pear with soft spice notes, bit of sandalwood and leather.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with honey, caramel apple, pepper with allspice, a touch of molasses.
Finish:  Moderately long with trailing vanilla.
Comments:  Grain whisky is often soft and subtle, and this is definitely that.  This is a delicious whisky, although quite subtle. I like Hedonism well enough, although not as well as some (Richard definitely appreciates the Hedonism lineup more than I have). We all have different preferences and palates. For mine, this was a small step up from that. Unfortunately it is a giant leap in terms of price. Nothing objectionable about this pour though, and if you’re a die-hard fan of Hedonism, I wouldn’t discourage you from seeking it out to try.

Rating: Stands Out

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Blue Spot

/ / Irish Whiskey, Review /

Blue Spot
Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Aged 7 Years Cask Strength

58.7% ABV
$100
Website
Blue Spot

What the Producer Says

Blue Spot’s name was derived from the Mitchell’s practice of marking their maturing casks of whiskey with a mark or daub of coloured paint to determine the age potential of the whiskey. Blue Spot was a 7 year old whiskey, Green Spot (10 year old), Yellow Spot (12 Year Old) and Red Spot (15 year old).

As a colourful history would have it, this revered Blue Spot remained underground until now and its introduction reunites the historical Spot Family for the first time in over 56 years.

Embodying the unmistakable qualities of Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. Blue Spot is matured for no less than 7 years in Bourbon casks, Sherry butts and Portuguese Madeira casks all bottled at cask strength for you to enjoy!

Nose: A light mix of pineapple, kiwi, green banana and lime zest followed by Pot Still spices, baked apple, hazelnut and toasted wood.
Taste: A smooth mouthfeel with a subtle mix of fruit, a hint of clove oil and cracked black pepper corns. Sweet spices, vanilla and cinnamon add to the wood’s nutty contribution.
Finish: A lasting and distinctly palatable balance of exotic fruits and spices.

Non Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich and fruity with pineapple, mango, apple, hint of apricots, freshly toasted oak and baking spices.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, fruity with toffee and vanilla, sharpens with cinnamon, pepper and a bit of clove.
Finish:  Moderately long and damp with fruit and spice notes.
Comments:  Affirms my belief that cask strength and non-chill filtration should be the standard. This has a lovely intense flavor and rich mouthfeel, and takes water nicely which smooths out the edges (as the nose neat is just a tad hot). Dangerously drinkable, and while there isn’t a lot of cask strength/non-chill filtered Irish single malt here in the US – the price point on this one is tough (considering one of the first such drams I ever had was Redbreast 12 yr Cask Strength, which even after a few price increases is cheaper!) I did a side-by-side with that, because age isn’t everything. Both are distilled by Midleton Distillery, and both are lovely drams – but the Redbreast 12 yr Cask Strength had more complexity, with fruit notes tending more towards a sherry hue, and a more balanced dram overall. Despite that, I’m glad to see more entrants into the market bringing the higher proof and leaving that chill filtration where it belongs – in the rear view mirror!

Rating: Stands Out

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Barrell Bourbon Batch 028

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Barrell Bourbon Batch 028

54.43% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Bourbon Batch 028
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Barrell Bourbon Batch 028 is a blend of 10 and 11-year-old barrels created from a marriage of three distinct sub-groups of barrels. The first was aroma forward with notes of tropical fruit, citrus zest and exotic spices, identified to drive the nose of the final blend. The second group had a richness in the middle palate and a sweet, almond-like body. The third group was peppery and tannic, adding backbone and a savory, woodsy and earthy component. The final blend of Batch 028 allows each of these groups to shine through. It presents a bouquet of ripe tropical and sweet flower aroma backed up by a robust punch of rustic wood in the cadence and finish.

  • A blend of straight Bourbon Whiskeys
  • Distilled and aged in Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana
  • Selection of 10 and 11-year-old barrels
  • Aged in American white oak barrels
  • Bottled in Kentucky
  • 108.86 proof cask strength bottling

FLAVOR NOTES
The bourbon begins with bright citrus, heady florals, and lively minerals. Sweetness is kept in check by a preponderance of opposing forces. That balance vanishes on the finish when it explodes with tropical fruits then gently fades away leaving only smoked sea salt at the end.

​Neat
Appearance: An earthy orange hue, much like antique yarn dyed with tradition and left to age.
Nose: Maraschino liqueur and dried apricot lay a gentle, fruity foundation that recalls a boisterous chardonnay. Some rather sappy woodsy notes of rosemary and bamboo shoots. A touch of richness from cocoa butter and tallow.
Palate: Fruity in nature, yet well-balanced, so that nothing overwhelms. Candied praline sweetness is balanced by a smoked sea salt minerality. Brown butter richness is cut by a radicchio bitterness. Champagne-like acidity is matched by chalky tannin.
Finish: Complex and tropical, it first explodes with lychee, grapefruit peel, dragonfruit, and strawberry. Some dusty tannin on the tongue gives it length, evolving through lightly oxidized oolong tea and peppery gin until only smoked sea salt lingers.

With a few drops of spring water
The fruitiness is juicier, with cascara, purple plum and rosehip tea. Spices abound, including sassafras and black walnut, salmiak and dill.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Chocolate covered cherries, vanilla crème brûlée with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, oak, blood orange, floral notes with a subtle mineral undertone.
Palate:  Caramel sauce over berries in vanilla pudding, pepper and oak with a nutty vitamin note, cinnamon, orange bitters, tad nutty with a hint of raisins.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with oak and orange zest.
Comments:  Yet another really solid blend from the folks at Barrell Craft Spirits. The Dickel notes are a bit more prominent on this than the last few batches, but has a lot of depth and interesting characteristics, with a solid balance between the sweetness, spice and oak notes. A bit of water tamps down the mineral/vitamin notes and thickens the mouthfeel, and brought out more of a dark fruit sweetness.

Rating: Stands Out

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